Full Breakdown
Trump Signals New “Project 2025” Moves With Russ Vought
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Trump’s Subtle Warning
During a speech at the future site of a Navy submarine manufacturing plant in Baltimore, former president Donald Trump addressed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, saying, “We have some big surprises coming up in another few weeks, right, Russ?” The comment was made in the presence of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other administration officials.
Background & Context: Vought’s Track Record
Russ Vought, now leading the White House budget office, previously served as OMB director for the final two years of Trump’s first term. In that role he oversaw sweeping civil-service cuts and redirected funds that Congress had refused to appropriate. Notably, he froze $214 million in security aid for Ukraine and redirected Defense Department money to the southern border wall. While acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Vought attempted to fire over 90 percent of the agency’s staff and argued that the CFPB’s funding source—the Federal Reserve—was illegal; a December court ruling rejected that claim. In last August, he was tasked with overseeing the closeout of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Official Statements & Responses
The White House declined to comment on Trump’s remarks about Vought and the hinted “big surprises.”
Data & Statistics
- $214 million frozen in Ukraine security aid.
- >90 percent of CFPB staff targeted for dismissal.
- The administration’s 2026 defense budget topped $1 trillion.
- The 2027 budget request seeks $1.5 trillion in total resources, emphasizing a “massive funding increase” for the military.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have some big surprises coming up in another few weeks, right, Russ?” — Donald Trump, president