President Trump reversed his 2024 campaign stance on Project 2025, announcing on Truth Social he would meet with OMB Director Russ Vought, describing him as “he of PROJECT 2025 fame,” to determine agency cuts during the government shutdown. The meeting aimed to identify “which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM” to cut permanently or temporarily.

Vought, who authored Project 2025’s chapter on executive office authority, issued directives requiring federal agencies to submit mass layoff plans. His office announced cancellation of $8 billion in climate projects across 16 states that voted for Kamala Harris in 2024, plus withholding$18 billion from New York City infrastructure projects.

Labor unions representing 800,000 federal employees sued Vought over “illegal abuse of power.” Republican lawmakers expressed frustration with Trump’s public embrace of Project 2025 after campaign denials. TIME analysis found nearly two-thirds of Trump’s early executive actions reflected Project 2025 proposals.