Trump meeting Project 2025 author Russell Vought amid govt shutdown. Here's why

Donald Trump is meeting Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, and one of the authors of the infamous Project 2025

Published on: Oct 2, 2025, 21:10:41 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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President Donald Trump is meeting Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director, and one of the authors of the infamous Project 2025, as his administration seeks to make key cuts amid the government shutdown.

OMB Director Russell Vought (2nd R) speaks with President Donald Trump (L) (AFP)

"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 on Truth Social.

He further added that ‘the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity’.

“They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DJT.”

The meeting comes as the federal government has entered its first shutdown since 2018. The Congress was not able to resolve a funding standoff last week. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump could fire thousands of workers, though she did not provide details.

Trump and other GOP lawmakers have accused the Democrats of demanding health care for migrants without legal status and forcing a shutdown. However, Democrats have insisted they want to keep lawful residents and American citizens covered by health plans.

President Trump's meeting with Vought is expected to bring several cuts. In his post, the president mentioned Vought's involvement with Project 2025, a plan by the conservative Heritage Foundation that calls for radically downsizing the federal government. Trump's administration has pursued many aspects of that plan, such as dismantling the Department of Education and curtailing the government's power to fight pollution.

Back in 2024, Trump had said that he knew nothing about Project 2025.

“I know nothing about Project 2025. I have not seen it, have no idea who is in charge of it, and, unlike our very well received Republican Platform, had nothing to do with it. The Radical Left Democrats are having a field day, however, trying to hook me into whatever policies are stated or said,” he posted on July 11.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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