Trump Meeting on Budget Cuts
President Trump announced he will have a meeting on Thursday with his office and the director of the management budget, Russ Vert.
He described the conference as a means to evaluate which Democratic agencies may be, in his view, involved in political fraud. He expressed a belief that it’s essential to assess whether cuts should be temporary or permanent.
Trump remarked, “I can’t believe the radical left-wing Democrats have given me this unprecedented opportunity. They’re not unintelligent, so perhaps this is their way to make America great again, swiftly and quietly!”
In his remarks, he urged Republicans to utilize government shutdowns to eliminate what he called “dead trees”—items no longer considered useful within the federal government.
“Republicans must seize this chance with forced Democrat closures to get rid of waste, fraud, and things that aren’t necessary. There’s potential to save billions. Make America great again!” Trump emphasized late Wednesday.
The White House has acknowledged the possibility of government shutdowns and indicated that layoffs for federal employees may happen soon.
On Tuesday, Trump suggested his administration might cut certain programs when facing government shutdowns. His Budget Office had directed agencies last week to prepare for potential mass layoffs.
When questioned about the Budget Office’s memo, Trump commented that if there are layoffs, “that’s their fault,” pointing a finger at Democrats.
He added, “And it could lead to cutting projects that they favored, essentially terminating them forever.” Trump stressed that opportunities exist to reduce any project not previously approved.
On Wednesday, Vought, a key figure in the Budget Office, announced cuts to funding for New York City’s transportation initiatives and energy projects in 16 states, primarily led by Democrats.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) of inadvertently enabling government shutdowns that could benefit Trump and the Republicans.
Johnson stated on a program, “He basically handed President Trump the keys to the kingdom,” arguing that shutdowns could help eliminate unnecessary federal programs that have not received Senate support.
Trump called again for Republicans to take advantage of these closures, reiterating his view on clearing out what he sees as unnecessary government expenditures.
“Republicans need to leverage this opportunity for a mandated Democrat closure to remove excess waste and improve efficiency. They could save billions. Make America great again!” he said once more late Wednesday.
