Tag Archive for: office of management and budget

Democrats Are Terrified Of Trump’s Shutdown Slasher — And They Should Be

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Trump depicted him as the Grim Reaper. His neighbors think he wants to cause “maximum trauma.” Senate Leader John Thune told Democrats to brace for impact.

And those who know Russ Vought best say, good. Democrats should be scared. Because if unleashed, Trump’s two-time Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought has a swift and thorough plan to downsize the government that he has been preparing for years.

“Russ has been working on this type of plan for the government since a lot of these staff were in diapers,” Rachel Bovard, vice president of programs at Conservative Partnership Institute told the Daily Caller.

WATCH: Donald Trump stars in grim reaper-themed AI generated music video

Vought issued a memo to federal agencies on Sept. 24 as the government inched toward a shutdown asking them to prepare for widespread layoffs and programmatic cuts through Reduction-in-Force measures. The memo was also a warning to Democrats: refuse to back a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open and their beloved administrative state would face the consequences.

The government officially shut down on Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats voted against the CR, demanding increased funding for Medicaid, including for reimbursements for state spending on illegal aliens, and Affordable Care Act subsidies.

To turn up the heat, Trump and Vought met to discuss which federal agencies could be downsized. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Caller on Wednesday that layoffs were “imminent.” She estimated that thousands would be let go.

Vought and Mark Paoletta, the general counsel for OMB — who also served in the same position in the first Trump administration — are the brains behind the effort to slash government programs and employees amid the shutdown, Ken Cuccinelli, a senior fellow at Center for Renewing America (CRA), told the Caller. Vought founded CRA upon leaving the White House in 2021.

“As we’re seeing with the shutdown, or I think we’re about to see with the shutdown, it turns into a bit of judo. Your move gets used against you. So, now the Dems want to shut it down. Well, guess what? Russell is going to take you up on that threat, and make it work for the president’s agenda,” Cuccinelli told the Caller.

“And there’s just very few people who are as strategically prepared to do that as he is. He didn’t start planning for the shutdown in September. I guarantee you he started planning for the shutdown in 2021,” Cuccinelli added.

The impending cuts have garnered the same reaction from Democrats as those of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“But effectively you have an OMB director, out of the White House, who is effectively running the federal government and making massive decisions,” Vaughn Hillyard, NBC News’ White House correspondent, complained.

“They could essentially cripple some of these agencies, which we should be clear, as he wrote in Project 2025, he has argued that some of these agencies are too big and have hurt Americans,” the NBC reporter continued.

But unlike Musk’s DOGE, Vought has been methodical with the way he has approached slicing down the federal government. Cuccinelli predicted Vought’s meticulous planning means there will be fewer “unintended consequences” that could harm Republicans politically or procedurally.

Vought’s focus on budgetary issues started in Republican Texas Sen. Phil Gramm’s office, Bovard explained. Gramm was well known for his fiscal austerity and championed legislation that pushed to eliminate the federal budget deficit over a few years.

After leaving Gramm’s office, Vought worked as policy director for the House Republican Conference under then-Chairman Mike Pence and then later as executive director of the Republican Study Committee.

“[This was through] those Tea Party years, which, cutting the fat, getting at the deficit, all of this was a very important part of the conservative movement … That’s been the through line of his career,” Bovard told the Caller.

Vought went on to serve as Heritage Action for America’s vice president for seven years.

Then, prior to Trump’s election, Vought considered leaving Washington, D.C. to go to seminary and become a pastor, the New York Times reported. The now-OMB Director is a devout Christian and leads adult Bible studies at his Baptist church.

His faith, Cuccinelli told the Caller, is what shapes Vought’s strong backbone and fortitude to “stay on the line.”

Instead of moving away from the nation’s capital, Vought was tapped to assume the role of acting OMB director in January 2019 after Mick Mulvaney left the agency to be Trump’s chief of staff. Vought was confirmed by the Senate in July 2020.

After Trump’s first term, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, an organization dedicated to rooting out the federal bureaucracy that “resisted the agenda of the president.”

What America is seeing today during the government shutdown is a continuation of that project, those close to Vought told the Caller.

“His first term experience, he developed a lot of this stuff very fast and evolved it very fast. There frankly just wasn’t enough time to get to anywhere near a significant portion of what Russ had in his head in the first term,” Cuccinelli told the Caller.

Cuccinelli said Vought refers to the first term as the “pre-season” or “Triple-A baseball.” Now, they’re in the World Series.

Ned Ryun, the CEO of American Majority and a long-time friend of Vought’s, told the Caller that Vought has been preparing for this moment for years. He’s an official Americans should be thankful for, Ryun added, explaining that he believes if Vought is allowed to fulfill his plan it will be a pivotal moment in American history.

“Not sure how many other moments we will get like this, and I truly believe if Trump fully empowers Russ, this could potentially be the beginning of the end of the administrative state,” Ryun told the Caller.

Those close to Vought all emphasized one thing above all when talking about the OMB Director: his humility. When this term is up and Vought’s work is over, Bovard told the Caller he won’t be bragging to the press, cashing in or looking for work on K Street.

And for now, he is focused on finishing the job and winning the game.

“To Russ, this is like Tom Brady about to throw the winning touchdown,” Bovard told the Caller. “There is nothing but pure adrenaline and focus.”

AUTHOR

Reagan Reese

White House Correspondent

RELATED ARTICLE: ‘It’s Really Difficult’: Elon Musk Reflects On Successes, Challenges Of DOGE At 100 Days

EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Trump Seeks ‘Transformative’ Spending Cuts In First Budget Request Of Second Term

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President Donald Trump is seeking massive cuts to government programs, including culling more than $160 billion in non-defense spending in his fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget request.

Trump released a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year Friday morning, which asks Congress to approve slashing non-defense discretionary spending 22.6% below fiscal year 2025 levels. Trump’s request to reduce this spending to its lowest level since 2017 builds on the Department of Government Efficiency’s cost-cutting initiatives to root out government waste and downsize the federal government. 

White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russ Vought said Friday the government programs that the White House is proposing to cut were “tilted toward funding niche non-governmental organizations and institutions of higher education committed to radical gender and climate ideologies antithetical to the American way of life” in a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee chair Susan Collins.

Collins replied in a statement emailed to the DCNF on Friday characterizing the budget request as late and detailed several “serious objections” the senior appropriator has to the president’s budget proposal.

“Ultimately, it is Congress that holds the power of the purse,” Collins wrote.

Trump’s first budget request of his second term will be subject to congressional approval. Lawmakers must pass a fiscal year 2026 budget before the Sept. 30 funding deadline.

The FY26 budget request seeks to cut discretionary spending by 7.6% overall with many government agencies seeing roughly 35% cut on average, according to senior OMB officials. The president’s budget blueprint also seeks substantial funding increases to defense and border security priorities which senior OMB officials characterized as “historic” investments.

Trump’s budget request would increase defense spending by 13% to more than $1 trillion for FY26. The president’s budget request would also boost Department of Homeland Security funding by 65% to aid the administration’s border security and deportation efforts.

The proposal also calls for canceling more than $20 billion in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) “Green New Scam” funds that Biden characterized as one of his signature legislative accomplishments. The IIJA programs on the chopping block include the Department of Transportation’s electric vehicle (EV) charging grant program, according to the White House budget request.

“EV chargers should be built just like gas stations: with private sector resources disciplined by market forces,” the White House fact sheet states.

Conservative GOP lawmakers praised Trump’s budget request for reining in government spending back to pre-COVID levels. Congressional Republicans are also eyeing steep spending cuts of $1.5 trillion or higher in the president’s anticipated “one big, beautiful bill.”

“Today, the White House released a transformational budget that maintains strong funding for our national defense while reducing the woke, weaponized, and wasteful bureaucracy by 20% even farther back than pre-COVID levels,” Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy wrote in a statement posted to X. “Combined with our joint efforts to rescind additional wasteful spending, and deliver a reconciliation bill that will extend and expand the Trump tax cuts while reforming Medicaid and other programs to reduce deficits, we are poised to deliver prosperity, freedom, and strength to the American people.”

“President Trump’s budget reflects his bold and unwavering commitment to reining in Washington’s runaway spending, right sizing the bloated federal bureaucracy, and putting our nation on a path to balance,” House Budget Committee chairman Jodey Arrington wrote in a statement following the budget request’s release.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect Sen. Collins’ statement to the DCNF.

AUTHOR

Adam Pack

Contributor.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Trump Ends The Week By Announcing Even More Major Cabinet Picks

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President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced several key appointments for his upcoming administration, including the people he wants as his treasury and labor secretaries.

In a series of announcements, Trump appointed several new cabinet selections and key administrative positions, including key roles for the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Labor, and his national security team. Trump said his nominees have the expertise and commitment to dismantle bureaucratic overreach, restore fiscal responsibility and promote prosperity.

Trump appointed Russell Thurlow Vought as the director of the United States Office of Management and Budget. Trump highlighted Vought’s contributions during his first term, where he implemented significant regulatory cuts.

“Russ knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government, and he will help us return Self Governance to the People. We will restore fiscal sanity to our Nation, and unleash the American People to new levels of Prosperity and Ingenuity. I look forward to working with you again, Russ. Congratulations. Together, we will Make America Great Again!” Trump said in a statement.

In the Department of Labor, Trump nominated Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the former congressional candidate, as secretary of Labor.

“Lori’s strong support from both the Business and Labor communities will ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind our Agenda for unprecedented National Success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!” Trump said.

Trump chose Alex Wong as the deputy national security adviser. Alongside Wong, Trump named Sebastian Gorka as the senior director for counterterrorism, citing his extensive background in national security.

“As Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, he helped negotiate my Summit with North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un. Alex also led the State Department’s efforts to implement the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy,” Trump said. “Dr. Gorka is a legal immigrant to the United States, with more than 30 years of National Security experience.”

The administration’s health sector will also see new leadership with Janette Nesheiwat nominated as the U.S. Surgeon General.

“Dr. Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health. She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives,” Trump said.

Completing the health leadership slate, former Republican Florida Congressman Dave Weldon was tapped to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Dave will prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC. Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make America Healthy Again!” Trump said.

Trump also appointed Marty Makary as head of the FDA. Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon known for his critiques of how the Biden administration handled COVID. In a statement, Trump said the FDA had strayed from its regulatory mission. He said he’s confident Makary, if confirmed, will steer it back on course.

Trump nominated Scott Turner, a former NFL player and White House aide, as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Turner previously led the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and is the highest-ranking Black appointee in Trump’s administration.

Trump announced on social media that he had nominated Scott Bessent as the 79th secretary of the Treasury. In his Truth Social post, Trump called Bessent a top international investor and a master of both geopolitics and economics.

AUTHOR

Mariane Angela

News reporter.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

Biden Admin’s Regulatory Overhaul Is Poised To Burden Americans In The Name Of Fighting Climate Change

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President Joe Biden’s administration finalized guidance Thursday likely to burden Americans with costlier regulations to fulfill administration priorities such as combating climate change.

Biden’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is enacting new guidance that would require regulators to consider priorities like inequality and climate change when analyzing the costs and benefits of regulation. The White House argued the guidance is necessary so that regulations are issued with up-to-date analysis and information.Critics, however, argue the new guidance would lead to costlier regulations in the name of the Biden administration’s agenda.

“Adjusting how cost-benefit analysis is conducted in a way to make it easier to issue heavy-handed and costly regulations is unwise at anytime, particularly when Americans continue to suffer under punishingly high inflation,” Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford stated, according to The New York Times.

The new regulations will in practice allow for stronger climate regulations by factoring in the projected economic costs of climate change and global warming, according to the NYT.

The regulations are based on Biden’s January 2021 “Memorandum on Modernizing Regulatory Review,” which accounts for contributions to progressive policies when considering proposed rules.

“We write to express our opposition to the proposed revisions, which are seemingly designed to fast-track progressive policies that do not have a majority of votes in Congress necessary for passage into law,” Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and a coalition of Senate Republican committee ranking members wrote in a letter pushing back on the memorandum.”

The rules are also based on an April “Executive Order on Modernizing Regulatory Review,” according to the White House fact sheet on the final guidance, which the OMB pointed the Daily Caller News Foundation toward.

The order references regulatory moves that likely would lead to “adversely affect[ing] in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, territorial, or tribal governments or communities” and takes “equity” into account.

Americans may also bear the regulatory cost for other nations because “effects occurring beyond the borders of the United States can result in benefits and costs that accrue to U.S. citizens and residents,” according to the fact sheet.

The OMB’s White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) finalized the regulations.

“This updated guidance will help agencies more accurately estimate the impacts of their regulations and thereby enable them to craft better regulations which, in turn, means lower costs for consumers; cleaner food, air, and water; less fraud and exploitation; increased workplace safety; more innovation; and a stronger economy,” the White House OIRA fact sheet asserts.

The White House did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

AUTHOR

JASON COHEN

Contributor.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Daily Caller column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.