Dear John,
Donald Trump’s latest power grab is underway, and Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025, is at the center of it. Trump’s latest scheme, freezing federal grants approved by Congress, threatens to make Congress irrelevant and give himself sole control over government spending.
There’s reporting that behind the scene many Republicans are against it. And Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Don Bacon even expressed dissent publicly. They know this plan is too radical and too dangerous.
That’s likely why the Trump administration released a new memo rescinding the OMB memo, which the media then quickly reported as rescinding the entire federal freeze. But make no mistake, later in the day the White House Press Secretary clarified on X that they only rescinded the memo, not the freeze.
Whatever that means.
Trump has nominated Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget, the agency that controls federal spending. The same man who designed the plan to override Congress and illegally impound funds would have unchecked power to implement plans to slash clean energy, infrastructure, and housing investments while funneling money into Trump’s extremist agenda.
Let’s be clear: This is a direct attack on the Constitution. Congress, not the president, controls federal spending. But Trump and Vought want total control, and Project 2025 lays out exactly how they’ll take it. With Vought in charge of OMB, they will plan to defund social programs, destroy climate progress, and punish blue states while shifting billions toward their authoritarian agenda.
The Senate must reject this nomination. Vought isn’t just another Trump loyalist, he’s the mastermind of a plan to centralize power in the executive branch and strip Congress of its authority. We must stop him now. Tell the Senate: Reject Russell Vought’s nomination and stop Trump’s illegal power grab now.
Trump is already testing the limits of his power, and he’s only just begun.
Freezing federal funds without congressional approval is an unprecedented assault on democracy. It defies the Constitution, disregards the Impoundment Control Act, and sets the stage for a future where Congress has no say in government spending.
If the Senate rubber-stamps Vought’s nomination, they’ll be handing Trump a blank check to reshape America however he wants, without any checks or balances.
If Vought is confirmed, every dollar Congress allocates will be subject to Trump’s whims. And make no mistake: He will use that power to punish political enemies, silence opposition, and fast-track the most extreme elements of his Project 2025 plan.
The Senate must take a stand and protect its own authority. If they confirm Vought, they’re signing off on their own irrelevance and granting Trump unchecked power.
We must act now – and always – when democracy is under attack. Tell the Senate: Vote NO on Russell Vought. Reject Trump’s unconstitutional power grab.
Together, let’s stop this assault on our democracy.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
