October 2025, former President Trump is openly embracing Project 2025 and its chief architect, Russ Vought. During the ongoing federal government shutdown, Trump announced a meeting with Vought, who is now his White House budget chief, to determine which "Democrat Agencies" should be permanently cut. This marks a reversal from his 2024 campaign, when he publicly distanced himself from the controversial plan. The meeting On October 2, 2025, amid a government shutdown, Trump announced on Truth Social that he would be meeting with his budget director, Russell T. Vought. Trump referred to Vought as being "of PROJECT 2025 Fame". The goal of the meeting was to determine which "Democrat Agencies" should be cut, and whether those cuts would be "temporary or permanent". Trump framed the shutdown as an "unprecedented opportunity" to achieve his agenda and dismantle federal programs. Vought and Project 2025 Russ Vought, a co-author of Project 2025, has advocated for a drastic reduction in the size and scope of the federal government. His role on the Project 2025 advisory board and leadership of the Center for Renewing America focused on policy to reshape the federal bureaucracy. Key aspects of the plan include reclassifying thousands of federal workers as political appointees to be replaced by loyalists, and eliminating or defunding agencies that conflict with a conservative agenda. Vought's actions have already included canceling billions of dollars in funding for projects, particularly in Democratic-led states. Context of the government shutdown The government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, provided a backdrop for the meeting. While previous shutdowns typically involved furloughs for non-essential employees, the Trump administration has been threatening mass firings in line with Project 2025 goals. The White House has already used the shutdown to target specific projects, canceling billions in funding for renewable energy and infrastructure, often in Democratic-leaning states. This approach aligns with Vought's previous statements about making bureaucrats feel "traumatically affected". Shift in Trump's stance Trump's open embrace of Project 2025 during the shutdown represents a change from his previous position. During his 2024 campaign, Trump had publicly disavowed Project 2025, claiming he had not read it and had nothing to do with it. Despite this, many of his early executive orders in 2025 mirrored the recommendations of the plan. With his recent social media post, Trump is now publicly associating himself with the plan, using the shutdown to advance its goals. Msnbc utube Beloud