Russ Vought Freezes $2.1B In Chicago Projects Over "Race-Based Contracting"

As the government shutdown enters its third day, White House officials have reminded Americans all this week that Democrats voted for the full-blown government shutdown, which has inadvertently given President Trump the greatest gift ever: the ability to revive DOGE-style efforts to cut waste and fraud.

On X, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought announced three cuts this week: first, $18 billion in New York City infrastructure projects he said were infused with „unconstitutional DEI principles”; then $8 billion in „Green New Scam” spending; and now $2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects over „race-based contracting.”

„$2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects–specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project–have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting. More info to come soon from USDOT,” Vought wrote on X.

$2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects–specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project–have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting. More info to come soon from @USDOT.

— Russ Vought (@russvought) October 3, 2025

On Thursday, President Trump wrote on X that he was meeting with OMB Director Vought „to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent.”

„I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump added.

Hours before the shutdown, Trump told reporters, he could „get rid of a lot of things” that would heavily impact the Democratic Party, adding, „We can eliminate many things we didn’t want … and they’d be Democrat things.„

President Trump on „A lot of good can come down from shutdowns. We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn’t want.” pic.twitter.com/8VoDQ2cdq8

— CSPAN (@cspan) September 30, 2025

Trump instructed Republicans to use „this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud. Billions of Dollars can be saved.”

According to White House officials, the Trump administration could start mass firings of thousands of federal employees as early as today. There are approximately 750,000 nonessential federal workers who have been placed on furlough, marking the first government shutdown since 2019. But historically, federal workers have not been the targets of shutdowns.

Optics are not great for Democrats.

White House officials have blamed Democrats for the shutdown, claiming they are pursuing „radical demands”, like requesting funds for free healthcare for illegal aliens.

Vice President JD Vance said Democrats „want to shut the government because we won’t give billions of dollars in healthcare funding for illegal aliens”.

President Trump wrote on Truth Social: „The Democrats want to give your healthcare money to illegal aliens.”

It’s right there on paper.

Democrats are fighting for healthcare for illegal aliens, NOT the American people. https://t.co/HIRQyu9lZK pic.twitter.com/qaj4KGzBIj

— GOP (@GOP) October 2, 2025

… also Democrats are losing their minds because all this spending props up their radical leftist political machine …

JUST IN: Nationwide, Democrats are in full-blown panic mode upon hearing that Russ Vought is being unleashed to fire federal workers during the Schumer Shutdown.

„It is deeply offensive that the president is threatening to FIRE workers!”pic.twitter.com/D0CRlrfdpA

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 1, 2025

What new funding freezes will Vought announce on Saturday morning?