NEWS

‘UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY’: Trump Announces Game Plan for Cutting Government During Shutdown

Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell •   October 2, 2025

President Donald Trump will meet Tuesday with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to decide which left-wing projects and personnel to cut during the shutdown.

“I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent,” Trump wrote Thursday morning.

Trump has said he plans to use the government shutdown to cut unnecessary “programs and benefits” from the federal government. Vought told House Republicans Monday that reductions in force could start in the next two days.

Vought said cuts would begin with areas that fall outside of the administration’s priorities, a source familiar with the call told The Daily Signal.

“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump wrote on Truth. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

On Monday, Vought cut “$8 billion in Green New Scam funding to fuel the Left’s climate agenda” in 16 dark blue states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

He also froze $18 million for two infrastructure projects in New York City “to ensure funding is not flowing based on unconstitutional [diversity, equity, and inclusion] principles.”

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Elizabeth Mitchell
Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell | White House Correspondent
Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell is the White House correspondent for the Daily Signal.

Follow on X TheElizMitchell