Donald Trump had a warning to Democrats.
Soon he will decide what 'Democrat agencies' he would cut and whether those reductions would be temporary or permanent.
He said the government shutdown, which began on Tuesday, had afforded him an 'unprecedented opportunity.'
'I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame,' he posted on his Truth Social website on Thursday morning.
Vought, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, may not be a household name. But Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for governing put together primarily by former Trump officials like Vought when the Republicans were out of power, featured prominently during last year's presidential campaign.
It was frequently touted by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, as Trump's 'dangerous plan' for the future if he was to win.
The 900-page policy document contained proposals for dramatic reductions in the size of federal government, expanded presidential authority, rigorous immigration enforcement, a nationwide abortion ban and other elements of an ultra-conservative social agenda.
At the time, Trump tried to distance himself from the policy document.
Now, however, Trump is using the conservative blueprint as a threat to get Democrats to agree to his budgetary demands. And he is holding up Vought, who authored a chapter on the use of executive power, as a kind of budgetary angel of death, poised to cut programs valued by Democrats.
In case that particular metaphor wasn't clear, on Thursday night Trump shared an AI-generated parody music video on Truth Social with Vought portrayed as the grim reaper.
Trump's decisions indicate that he may unleash Vought at a time when, because of the legal limbo created by the shutdown, their cuts might be deeper and more durable than those instituted earlier this year. Vought’s earlier collaborations with Elon Musk in cutting federal operations have added to the potential for a severe reduction of government programs and staffing.
Republican leaders have echoed Trump's characterization of Vought as the White House heavy, warning of the consequences of the shutdown.
As Capitol Hill remains paralyzed, the future of numerous federal projects hangs in the balance, reflecting the intense political maneuvering surrounding budget cuts and government operations.
