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bigtree

(92,769 posts) Tue Sep 30, 2025, 07:05 PM 12 hrs ago

Trump threatens cuts to "programs Dems support" as OMB Project 2025 architect in charge of shutdown looms in background

Meredith Lee Hill @meredithllee
TRUMP floats "benefit" cuts in a shutdown, re cuts he can make to programs Dems support:

"We can do things doing the shutdown that are irreversible...we can do things medically and other ways, including benefits, we can cut large numbers of people. We don't want to do that..."

“What does it say about the state of the Democrat Party when they have a 33% favorability rating, on average, in recent months, and they’re willing to shut down the government over health care programs?” a member of the White House press pool asked the president at the Oval Office on Tuesday after an unrelated event.

“They are shutting it down. We’re not shutting it down. We don’t want it to shut down, because we have the greatest period of time ever,” the president responded. “I told you, we have $17 trillion being invested. So, the last person that wants it shut down is us.”

“With that being said, we can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible,” Trump continued. “Like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.”

“You all know Russell Vought,” he added. “He’s become very popular recently because he can trim the budget to a level that you couldn’t do any other way.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-things-during-government-shutdown-165322209.html

OMB's Director In Charge Of Shutdown, Russell Vought, Project 2025 Architect

Six minutes of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Project 2025 architect Russell Vought refusing to say whether he’ll follow the law of the land—the Impoundment Control Act—during his Senate Budget Committee nomination hearing.

Tim Kaine Confronts Trump's OMB Nominee Vought With His Own Words About Villifying Federal Workers

Russell Vought is 'more dangerous' than Gabbard, Hegseth: Democratic Senator

'Godfather of Ultra-Right...': Schumer calls Trump’s OMB Director nominee Russell Vought 'dangerous'

MUST WATCH: Vought's Response To Question About Trump's Executive Orders Has Whitehouse Stop Clock

'Your Words, Quote...': Mark Warner Shows No Mercy To Trump's OMB Director Russell Vought

Chuck Schumer Sends Blunt Warning About Russell Vought: He Will Try To Freeze Federal Funding Again

'You Don't Want Them Traumatized Do You?': Tim Kaine Brutally Confronts Vought About Past Statements

Russell Vought, one of the key authors of Project 2025 and a former Trump cabinet member, was recorded on a hidden camera talking to what he believed to be relatives of a wealthy conservative donor about a right-wing blueprint for a second Trump term. #CNN #news

5 replies

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Trump threatens cuts to "programs Dems support" as OMB Project 2025 architect in charge of shutdown looms in background (Original Post) bigtree 12 hrs ago OP

The quicker things sink, the faster things may get better newdeal2 11 hrs ago #1

Shut it down. These things have been part of the plan all along. taxi 11 hrs ago #2

no one can tell us the end game of all of this bigtree 11 hrs ago #3

For republicans it was a goal that they were willing to go to the ends of the earth to reach. taxi 10 hrs ago #4

'Pain on the bureaucracy': Russ Vought's crusade upends the shutdown fight bigtree 8 hrs ago #5

newdeal2

(4,243 posts)

1. The quicker things sink, the faster things may get better

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Tue Sep 30, 2025, 07:43 PM

11 hrs ago

That’s my hope at least. I don’t see things improving dramatically without some kind of black swan event.

taxi

(2,546 posts)

2. Shut it down. These things have been part of the plan all along.

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Tue Sep 30, 2025, 07:54 PM

11 hrs ago

It was already all planned out as evidenced by them talking about specifics of it and not things that are suddenly coming to mind at the eleventh hour.

bigtree

(92,769 posts)

3. no one can tell us the end game of all of this

Reply to taxi (Reply #2)

Tue Sep 30, 2025, 08:21 PM

11 hrs ago

...and that should be concerning to Americans who have benefits and other government assistance at risk.

But what we believe changes nothing. Republicans and Trump are going to shut the government down and rampage through it some more.

People telling us this is some kind of political win for Democrats aren't telling us how a party out of power gets a government that republicans don't actually care about started again, much less get what we're demanding.

One thing that's certain, project 2025 architect, Russell Vought is in complete control over what closes and what stays open, as well as what resumes again and when or how.

All of this bravado needs either more explanation or more humility in the face of what many, many Americans are set to lose in this orchestrated robbery of the U.S. government for the benefit of one party's politics and tax break haul.

taxi

(2,546 posts)

4. For republicans it was a goal that they were willing to go to the ends of the earth to reach.

Reply to bigtree (Reply #3)

Tue Sep 30, 2025, 09:00 PM

10 hrs ago

We have our integrity and were not complicit in this. Our efforts have always been for the greater good. We can honestly say that we tried to help.

bigtree

(92,769 posts)

5. 'Pain on the bureaucracy': Russ Vought's crusade upends the shutdown fight

Reply to bigtree (Original post)

Tue Sep 30, 2025, 10:54 PM

8 hrs ago

The White House budget director could have a prime opportunity to further execute on his small-government ideology.

Paul Winfree, who served as Trump’s director of budget policy during his first term, called Vought’s threat a “brilliant” move.

During the last shutdown under Trump, which ended in early 2019, Vought served in an understudy role. Administration officials at the time sought to play down the impact on most Americans, Winfree noted.

“This time, Russ is putting the pain on the bureaucracy,” he said.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/26/russ-vought-shutdown-layoffs-00581412

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