President Donald Trump on Thursday said Democrats have given him an “unprecedented opportunity” to slash federal agencies, signaling plans to harm his political opponents during the 2-day-old government shutdown while blaming them for causing it.
Trump’s warning came a day after his administration froze about $18 billion for two major infrastructure projects in New York City and canceled roughly $8 billion more for climate-related projects in Democratic-leaning states.
The top Democrats leading the shutdown fight, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, both represent New York.
Both of the funding halts were first announced by Russell Vought, the director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, not by the departments that have oversight of the projects.
Trump said he will soon meet with Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut.”
