Article first published in New Haven Register
By Robert Weiner and Katherine White
Russell Vought, who is President Donald Trump's director of the Office of Budget and Management (not to mention key architect for Project 2025), is using his position and his private religious upbringing to enact the proposals listed in the 900-page requests of an overhauled U.S. government.
Vought grew up in Trumbull -- one of seven children. Despite a modest upbringing, Vought said that he belonged to a "really strong Bible-preaching, Bible-teaching church", and attended Christian summer camps. One might expect Vought to bring the same compassion from church and his community to Washington, D.C. But despite Vought's religious organization teachings, he is advocating a cut of 100 million Americans' housing, health care, and food assistance.
U.S. Sen Chris Coons (D-Del.) said that "I know of no faith that the best way forward is to give big tax breaks to the wealthiest paid for by denying health care and good to the very neediest and hungriest." Vought ought to recognize the values of the religious organizations in which he served in Trumbull, as Senator Coons has said. Where is Vought's moral spine?
Project 2025 proposes 670 changes to the federal government including restrictions and denial of sexual orientation and identity, and impositions of immigration, environmental, and reproductive rights.
Vought has taken his newfound position of director of OMB as an opportunity to sidestep Congress and enact Project 2025's agenda. The director of OMB's job is to specifically oversee the presidential budget and implement it. This is the perfect position for Vought to carry out his agenda -- a notion he has denied. CNN's Dana Bash asked Vought if "it is fair to say that what you are doing is in part enacting Project 2025?" Vought responded: "No, of course not."
Trump rejects his alliance to Project 2025, but more than 140 contributors worked in the first Trump administration. In his second administration many have returned, including Vought.
The Center for Progressive Reform has done amazing work monitoring Trump's implementation of suggestions in Project 2025, and updates regularly the Trump administration's actions and attempts to implement aspects of Project 2025. Using their spreadsheet, it highlights many of the changes Trump has brought in only months into his term.
Three areas of interest are at risk of defunding and other changes -- not surprisingly laid out by Project 2025. Vought by no surprise has access to many of these changes and uses his position of authority to aid Trump in carrying out Project 2025's agenda.
1. Cost of Health-Care Access
Affordable health care through the Affordable Care Act is at risk of serious budget buts, eliminating health-care coverage for millions of Americans. Trump has proposed his "Big, Beautiful Bill", which plans to cuts millions from Medicare, emphasizing private plans. Vought says they are trying to limit a "weaponized bureaucracy"' however, it will be at the expense of millions of taxpayers that rely on health-care coverage.
2. Environmental Impact
Overseen by the OMB, the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Carbon (SCC) was created by President Barack Obama in 2009 was composed of specialists across agencies to inform decision makers on the negative impact of greenhouse gases. Listed in page 61 of Project 2025, it requests to eliminate this program and to end the use of SCC analysis. Trump's first day in office saw EO 14154, which rolled back 12 EOs focused around environmental protections and climate change. Furthermore, the EO requires the director of OMB and the National Economic Council (NEC) to implement the said agency actions they deem "unduly burdensome". This again, puts Vought at the center of dictating the Project 2025 agenda at the cost of the American people.
3. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
This includes revoking EO 14020 - specifically mentioned on page 62 of Project 2025 under the section of OMB. This was completed on Trump's first day in office. Trump rescinded EO 14020, and enacted EO 14168, which denies the spectrum of gender identities and the existence of transgender people, all in an effort to supposedly "protect women".
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