President Donald Trump openly threatened to use the closure of the government to reduce federal funds to the states and cities administered by the Democrats, contradicting the vice president JD Vance, who said the day before the White House would not point to the Democrats.
Trump was expected to meet with the Office of Administration and Budget, Russ Vought, on Thursday to discuss the cuts and make clear in a publication on social networks and in recent interviews that is pointing to “Democratic Agencies.”
In his position, the president referred to the Vought 2025 co -authorship project, the controversial conservative plays book that described the ways in which the federal government could dismantle several federal agencies and privatize others.
President Donald Trump answers questions while childhood cancer survivors and their families meet at the Oval Office of the White House, on September 30, 2025 in Washington.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
“I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of the fame of the 2025 project, To determine which of the many Democratic agencies, most of which are a political scam, recommends being cut and if those cuts will be temporary or permanent, “the president wrote on social networks.
He called for an “unprecedented opportunity” To make cuts after saying before saying that it could save billions clearing “dead wood.”
The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, Thursday No more details could be given about what he defined “democratic agencies.”
“We are going to analyze the agencies that do not align, align with the values of the administration that we believe are a waste of the taxpayer,” he told reporters, saying that the threat of massive shots is “very real.”
During a white house conference on Wednesday, journalists asked Vance about Trump’s previous comments that indicate that he would go after the Democrats during the closing. Vance denied that the president was pointing to that party with his threat.
Vice President JD Vance speaks with journalists in the reports of James Brady Press at the White House, on October 1, 2025, in Washington.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
“We are not pointing to policy -based federal agencies,” Vance said. “We are pointing to the government of the people, so if possible, the essential services continue to function.”
Vance’s comments were produced hours after Voucht announced that millions of federal funds would end for New York and New Jersey infrastructure projects defended by the leader of the Chuck Schumer Senate minority in New York.
Legal experts, federal unions and some Democrats argued that the Federal Constitution and the Federal Law only allow Congress to declare cuts to federal agencies or eliminate them completely.
However, President Mike Johnson defended Trump’s movement, saying that the Democrats had given Trump “the keys to the kingdom” Forcing a closure.
The Republican of the Top camera argued Trump and VOUGHT “will first seek the priorities of the administration, safe that they are financed.”
President of the Mike Johnson House (he talks to journalists outside his office in Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on October 1, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP through Getty Images
“And those are some of those are some very serious determinations that must be done. We want to protect federal workers who work hard, and these are people who protect everyone else,” said Johnson.
He, however, insisted without further details than Trump’s potential layoffs were within his powers.
“Is it constitutional? Is it legal? Is it part of our system? Of course it is. It has always been,” Johnson said without giving more details.
The White House has not provided more details about the legality of Trump’s threats nor has he answered the questions about how to shoot the people who do not pay them would reduce waste.
-Alison Pecorin, Karen Travers and Isabella Murray of ABC News contributed to this report.
