White House Pressed on Project 2025 as Administration Pauses $2.1B in Chicago Projects
Facing questions about President Trump’s apparent embrace of Project 2025, the White House disclosed it has paused about $2.1 billion in Chicago transit projects—citing concerns over race‑based/DEI contracting—while OMB has withheld nearly $30 billion in infrastructure funding. At the same time, OMB Director Russ Vought, a co‑author of Project 2025, has announced the start of substantial reductions in force during the shutdown and will meet with the president to decide which agencies and staff cuts will be temporary or permanent, drawing criticism from opponents.
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Government/Regulatory
Economy
Politics
📌 Key Facts
- OMB Director Russell Vought, who co‑authored Project 2025, has been meeting with President Trump to 'game out' which agencies may face cuts and whether reductions would be temporary or permanent; Trump has publicly invoked Vought as 'PROJECT 2025' fame.
- The administration has begun mass federal reductions in force (RIFs); Vought announced RIFs have started and described them as 'substantial,' and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned layoffs are 'likely... in the thousands.'
- Vought told Republicans layoffs would begin 'in a day or two' and has said the administration will use 'all manner of authorities' to pursue its agenda, including reducing the size and scope of government.
- Policy analysts explained the legal mechanism: a lapse in appropriations removes 'payroll floors,' enabling the administration to issue RIF notices and reduce staff while statutory program requirements technically remain in force.
- The White House paused about $2.1 billion in Chicago projects (the Red Line extension and Red & Purple modernization), citing concerns about race‑based/DEI contracting; OMB has also withheld nearly $30 billion in infrastructure funding more broadly.
- These actions are unfolding amid a continuing federal government shutdown with 'no signs of progress' between lawmakers; the White House is portrayed as digging in and warning of far‑reaching consequences, and critics including Shalanda Young and Ammar Moussa have pushed back.
- Background/context: Project 2025 is a roughly 900‑page Heritage Foundation blueprint; Trump had denied involvement in 2024 but has more recently referenced and embraced the project in public posts.
📚 Contextual Background
- Russell Vought served as the Director (chief) of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
- OMB is the abbreviation for the Office of Management and Budget, an office within the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for assisting the President in preparing the federal budget and supervising its administration in executive agencies.
📰 Sources (9)
‘RIFs have begun.’ Vought announces start of mass firings during government shutdown
New information:
- OMB has initiated mass federal RIFs during the shutdown, per Russ Vought’s announcement.
- OMB characterizes the layoffs as "substantial," advancing beyond earlier consideration of reductions in force mentioned in prior reporting.
GOP senators back Russ Vought's hardball shutdown strategy as standoff intensifies
New information:
- Introduces a broader tally that OMB has withheld nearly $30B in infrastructure funding, expanding beyond the previously reported $2.1B in Chicago projects.
White House pressed about Trump seemingly changing his tune on Project 2025
New information:
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing that funds for the Chicago Red Line extension and Red & Purple modernization (about $2.1 billion) were paused due to concerns about race‑based/DEI contracting.
- Leavitt emphasized that decisions on layoffs and cuts are made by the president, his team and Cabinet secretaries, and referenced a public tweet from OMB Director Russell Vought about paused projects.
- The article republishes prior on‑the‑record context: Trump’s July 2024 denial of knowledge about Project 2025 and his recent Truth Social post calling Vought 'PROJECT 2025 Fame.'
Amid shutdown fight, Trump no longer distancing himself from Project 2025
New information:
- Trump posted on Truth Social on Oct. 3, 2025 saying he will meet with OMB Director Russ Vought, 'he of PROJECT 2025 Fame,' to determine which agencies to cut and whether cuts will be temporary or permanent.
- The article quotes White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responding to criticism and names Shalanda Young and Ammar Moussa as specific critics reacting to the reversal.
- The piece reiterates that Project 2025 is a ~900-plus-page Heritage Foundation blueprint and contrasts Trump's prior 2024 denials of involvement with the project.
Trump threatens mass firings as shutdown continues with no signs of potential deal
New information:
- The article reports President Trump invoked the name 'Project 2025' in connection with his warnings about mass firings.
- PBS notes there were 'no signs of progress between lawmakers on Thursday,' ensuring the government would remain shut down another day.
- The report frames the president as 'digging in' and warning of far-reaching consequences tied to the shutdown stalemate.
The agency staff Vought might recommend cutting and whether the cuts will be permanent
New information:
- Quotes and wording from President Trump's Truth Social post saying he will meet with Russell Vought to decide which agencies to cut and whether cuts will be temporary or permanent.
- A named policy analyst (Richard Stern of the Heritage Foundation) explaining legally how a lapse in appropriations removes 'payroll floors' and enables the administration to issue RIF (reduction in force) notices to cut staff.
- Explicit description in the article of the mechanism: that statutory program requirements remain but funding-floor constraints tied to appropriations lapse, allowing the administration discretion to reduce staff while still meeting legally required services.
Who is Russ Vought? What to know about Trump's OMB director ahead of shutdown layoffs
New information:
- Profile details on Russ Vought: CBS reports Vought is a co‑author of Project 2025 and authored the Heritage‑linked chapter on the executive office of the president.
- Direct reporting that Vought told Republicans federal layoffs would begin in 'a day or two.'
- Quoted Vought line to Fox Business: administration will use 'all manner of authorities' to pursue agenda, including reducing government size and scope (reiterated in CBS piece).
White House says federal layoffs could hit 'thousands' ahead of Trump, Vought meeting
New information:
- Direct quote from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying layoffs are 'likely... in the thousands.'
- Confirmation that OMB is actively 'gaming out' layoffs and that OMB Director Russell Vought will meet with President Trump to discuss which agencies may face cuts and whether they are temporary or permanent.
- Contextual political quote/claim from Leavitt accusing Democrats of blocking funding to keep the government open and alleging they support taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants (political framing included in the report).