Newsom slams Trump for following Project 2025, clean energy cuts in blue state

California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized President Donald Trump for working with Russell Vought, who helped create Project 2025, a far-right plan for a second Trump presidency.

On Thursday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was meeting with Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, to decide which Democratic federal agencies should be cut during the government shutdown, as per the report by The Daily Beast.

Trump meets vought for agency cuts

Trump wrote, “I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies… he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent”.


He also wrote, “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”, as per the report by The Daily Beast.

Project 2025 is a plan by the Heritage Foundation that shows how a second Trump administration could reduce federal agencies, consolidate executive power, and remove federal employees seen as disloyal to Trump. Russell Vought’s role in Project 2025 focuses on cutting budgets and restructuring federal programs to match Trump’s agenda.

During his campaign, Trump tried to distance himself from Project 2025 by calling it “seriously extreme” and “absolutely ridiculous” on Fox & Friends, and saying “I have nothing to do with Project 2025” in the ABC News presidential debate against Kamala Harris.

Clean energy projects canceled

Newsom’s office shared Trump’s Truth Social post alongside Project 2025’s policy tracker, which shows that 48% of the agenda has already been implemented since Trump took office in January, according to the report The Daily Beast.

Newsom’s office said, “Trump tried to distance himself from Project 2025. But 9 months in, he has already put 48 percent into action. And now, with his shutdown, he’s all in—embracing the plan’s disastrous cuts and divisive policies”.

On Wednesday evening, Vought posted on X that nearly $8 billion in clean energy projects would be canceled, calling them part of the “Green New Scam” supporting the left’s climate agenda, as stated by The Daily Beast.

Every canceled project was in a blue state Trump lost in 2024, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.

Each of these states has Democratic senators who voted against Trump’s short-term funding bill to prevent a government shutdown. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, as per the report by The Daily Beast.

FAQs

Q1. What is Project 2025 that Trump is following?

Project 2025 is a plan by the Heritage Foundation to reduce federal agencies, increase executive power, and remove employees not loyal to Trump.

Q2. Why are $8 billion in clean energy projects being canceled?

Russell Vought announced the cancellations in blue states as part of Trump’s plan to cut funding for projects he calls the “Green New Scam.”