Category: Federal Budget

Trump Budget Zeros Out 6,000 Homeless Veterans Housing

President Donald Trump allocated zero dollars in his $2.2 trillion fiscal 2027 budget proposal for a promised Los Angeles facility to house 6,000 homeless veterans, despite signing an executive order last year pledging completion by January 1, 2028. The proposed National Center for Warrior Independence was to be constructed on the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus, but Trump's budget included no funding for the housing project.

Trump's administration has required Department of Veterans Affairs officials and local advocates to sign nondisclosure agreements regarding the project, preventing transparency about planning and costs. During a May 13 House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Republican Chairman Mike Bost demanded answers, stating "Transparency should be a priority, not an option," and Rep. Derrick Van Orden criticized the plan as incomplete, calling it "corruption." The VA delivered its plan to lawmakers eight months behind schedule and could not specify total project costs despite requesting $500 million as an initial payment.

VA officials claimed the department was "hard at work implementing" Trump's order and issued a request for proposals with a June 23 deadline to establish additional housing units. However, testimony revealed that housing capacity at the West LA center increased from 955 to 1,377 beds during Trump's second term, yet none of this growth resulted from his executive order. Trump has never explained the 6,000-veteran figure, which exceeds Los Angeles' total homeless veteran population by approximately double, prompting speculation about plans to relocate veterans from other regions.

Rep. Mark Takano raised concerns that VA staffing cuts have created insufficient personnel to support homeless veterans already at the West LA facility, let alone the promised 6,000 residents. Veterans who secured a federal court order for additional housing at the site have opposed the VA's plan to construct 800 tiny 8-by-8-foot homes there. Takano warned that inadequate support services could turn the property into "a vast West Side skid row," jeopardizing tenant safety and mental health.

In response to congressional criticism, the VA blamed "litigation inherited" by the Trump administration and promised monthly briefings. The department stated it was "reclaiming sections of the campus that had long been irresponsibly leased" to private companies and that "subsequent budget requests will include adding thousands more housing units," offering no commitment to fund the project in the current fiscal year.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-homeless-veterans-housing-budget-b2985273.html)

Trump Officials Assumed USAID Just Did Abortions

Trump administration officials tasked with dismantling USAID in 2025 demonstrated profound ignorance of the agency’s actual functions, according to a new book by Nicholas Enrich, the agency’s acting assistant administrator for global health. During a February 5, 2025 meeting at USAID headquarters, official Joe Borkert and his team admitted they had assumed the agency “just did abortions,” revealing that Elon Musk’s cost-cutting operation DOGE had targeted the organization without understanding its humanitarian mission. Musk had previously called USAID a “criminal organization” and “radical-left political psy op” based on disinformation.

Enrich described to the Trump officials how USAID tackled emerging pandemics, diagnosed and treated tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV, and immunized millions of children against deadly diseases. His explanation prompted stunned silence before Borkert confessed his assumption about the agency’s work. A White House liaison then suggested that drug-resistant tuberculosis was too complex for non-health professionals and proposed simplifying it to “Super TB” and creating maps resembling the film “Outbreak” to visualize disease spread, treating public health crises as entertainment concepts.

When Enrich pressed the importance of USAID’s malaria response efforts, which DOGE had just shut down at the cost of thousands of jobs, even Borkert expressed frustration, saying “just because it might work at Twitter does not mean you can do it here.” Despite this acknowledgment, he ordered the USAID team to implement draconian cuts, retaining only first-priority programs and discarding second, third, and fourth-tier priorities, including lifesaving maternal health interventions designed to prevent pregnancy-related deaths.

Enrich and his colleagues left the meeting deeply disturbed, concluding that the Trump administration officials making decisions with real-world consequences “were not real policymakers, but impostors, sitting in big chairs and pretending to grapple with complex issues that required teams of experts, who they had just off-loaded.” The episode exemplifies the abuse of power and reckless dismantling of critical global health infrastructure driven by ideological cost-cutting rather than informed policy analysis.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-administration-usaid-whistleblower-b2957508.html)

Trump tells DHS to pay TSA despite government shutdown after agents miss another paycheck | The Independent

President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum on Friday directing the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA employees using undisclosed funds, following weeks of missed paychecks during a partial government shutdown. The directive covers approximately 50,000 security officers at airports and came after a six-week funding lapse that has caused excruciatingly long security lines and prompted nearly 500 TSA agents to quit while thousands more called out sick at record rates. Trump framed the action as necessary to address an “emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security,” though the source of the funds remains unclear.

The shutdown resulted from Democratic refusal to fund DHS until the Trump administration agrees to reforms for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Trump rejected a Senate bill passed Friday morning that would have funded most DHS functions, including TSA, because it excluded ICE and CBP funding. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer stated Democrats would not provide funding without reforms, calling the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics “lawless and deadly.”

Trump’s memorandum blamed Democrats for the shutdown while emphasizing security vulnerabilities created by depleted TSA staffing and wait times exceeding three hours at some airports. DHS announced that TSA employees would begin receiving pay as soon as Monday. The administration has faced criticism for its aggressive immigration crackdown, including a January incident in Minneapolis where immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, which the administration characterized as self-defense.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-pay-tsa-shutdown-b2947422.html)

USDA Sells South Building, Scatters Staff Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to sell its flagship South Building on Washington’s National Mall and relocate remaining staff to regional hubs in North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado, and Utah by year’s end. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins described the 1930s-era building as “a shell of what it once was,” citing $1.6 billion in delinquent maintenance costs and approximately 80% office vacancy rates, according to GSA Administrator Edward Forst.

The sale is framed as a cost-cutting measure under Republican President Donald Trump’s broader push to downsize the federal government. However, thousands of USDA employees have already departed through buyout programs as the administration dismantles the agency’s workforce and institutional capacity.

The building will be transferred to the General Services Administration for sale, with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst displaying a “For Sale By Owner” sign during the announcement. This disposal of a historic federal property reflects the administration’s agenda to strip down government operations and eliminate institutional presence in the nation’s capital.

(Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/usda-selling-its-flagship-south-building-washington-relocating-staff-2026-02-25/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=699fb068781ea000015a4217&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleAQNyFxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEehS9gM5eu0uQrXX6WzQUEG50zlvWA7TTJIpkxBzU7CsYspzuboaAdlIWlqMI_aem_0ubKb2BcEiwMxC9E186dlA)

Trump Withholds $16B Gateway Funding Unless Hubs Named After Him

President Donald Trump conditioned the release of over $16 billion in frozen federal funding for New York’s Gateway Tunnel project on Senator Chuck Schumer’s agreement to rename Penn Station and Dulles International Airport after Trump, according to Punchbowl News. Schumer rejected the demand, stating he lacked authority to rename the transportation hubs. This follows Trump’s pattern of demanding Penn Station and other infrastructure be renamed after himself in exchange for federal resources.

Trump has leveraged his position to encourage Republicans and allies to rename the Kennedy Center, a fleet of battleships, and the Institute of Peace in his honor since returning to office. By conditioning critical infrastructure funding on naming concessions, Trump has weaponized federal resources to advance personal branding. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand characterized the demand as Trump prioritizing “his own narcissism over the good-paying union jobs” the Gateway Project provides and called for the immediate unfreezing of all withheld projects.

Trump froze Gateway and Second Avenue subway funding in October under the pretext of reviewing DEI policy compliance, but officials warned the projects were rapidly depleting remaining resources. New York Representative Jerry Nadler labeled Trump’s naming condition as “extortion” and demanded immediate funding release. The Gateway Project’s oversight group filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the administration to release millions in construction payments as funding deadlines approached.

Democratic lawmakers condemned Trump’s extortion attempt as evidence of egregious abuse of executive authority. California Representative Eric Swalwell and Maryland Representative April McClain Delaney criticized the demand as demonstrating a complete lack of leadership on infrastructure competitiveness and national security. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office responded with an AI-generated image renaming Trump Tower to “Hochul Tower,” mocking the president’s narcissism.

Trump’s pattern of converting federal infrastructure into personal brand assets violates the public trust and institutional norms governing federal funding allocation. By withholding critical transportation upgrades unless officials agree to personalize federal property, Trump subordinates national infrastructure priorities to his self-enrichment agenda, demonstrating the systematic institutional capture characteristic of his authoritarian governance.

(Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-penn-station-rename-funding-b2915414.html)

Trump Claims States Are Federal Agents in Elections

President Trump declared on Tuesday that states function as “agents for the federal government in elections,” advancing his push to federalize election administration. During an Oval Office signing ceremony, Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that the federal government should take over elections from states he deemed incapable of running them honestly, specifically naming Atlanta and other Democratic-led cities as sites of “horrible corruption.” Trump’s assertion contradicts the Constitution, which assigns election administration to state and local officials with limited federal involvement.

Trump framed federal takeover as necessary to ensure honest elections, stating that if states “can’t count the votes legally and honestly, then somebody else should take over.” When pressed by Collins on constitutional constraints, Trump dismissed them, declaring states “can administer the election, but they have to do it honestly.” This demand for federal control extends Trump’s pattern of weaponizing federal authority against election officials, mirroring his sustained efforts to delegitimize the 2020 election and intimidate state administrators into compliance with his directives.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later reframed Trump’s “nationalize the voting” language as advocacy for the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration. However, noncitizens are already barred from voting in federal elections, making the legislation redundant. The move represents Trump’s broader strategy to impose new voting restrictions ahead of midterm elections under the guise of election security.

The statement follows an FBI seizure last week of election materials from Fulton County, Georgia, in connection with alleged voter fraud claims that have been repeatedly debunked. Legal experts, including UCLA law professor Rick Hasen, characterized such federal intervention as a dramatic escalation in federal control over state-run election infrastructure and warned of further interference in 2026 elections. Trump’s repeated false claims of election fraud and his push for federal dominance over election administration establish the groundwork for authoritarian control over voting mechanisms.

Trump’s assertion that states are federal agents in elections directly contradicts established constitutional law and democratic practice. His pattern of attacking election officials who refuse his demands, combined with federal actions targeting state election materials, demonstrates his intent to consolidate power over election administration and establish federal override of state election systems, dismantling the institutional safeguards that protect democratic elections from executive manipulation.

(Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/03/politics/trump-nationalize-elections-states?Date=20260204&Profile=CNN+Politics&utm_content=1770166729&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwdGRjcAPxrotleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_TP6JxjJ8F0XeylqLLR_PnMmKiHjepIwMfFSOkoZjpuKIlcOuE0eA99g3Kc_aem_XKBW8wXEdeRvaH0xj02M9A)

Trump Illegally Cuts Funding to Blue States

President Donald Trump announced February 1 as the date he will begin withholding all federal funding from sanctuary cities and states with sanctuary jurisdictions, claiming they “protect criminals at the expense of American citizens.” The Bay Area faces potential losses in the billions of dollars that fund emergency management, child support, and human services; San Francisco alone could lose nearly $1 billion annually, representing 6% of its general fund based on fiscal year 2025 figures.

California operates as a sanctuary state by law, with state and local law enforcement generally limiting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents. State leaders argue the federal government lacks authority to compel local officers to enforce federal immigration law. Trump’s previous threats to withhold federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions have already been declared unlawful by courts during both his first and second terms.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated he will file suit immediately if the cuts proceed, declaring “We will go to court within seconds, and we will win if he does this, it’s already proven unlawful.” Bonta expressed anger at what he characterized as Trump’s attack on California’s residents, state, and values, while San Francisco and other cities have successfully litigated this identical issue in prior litigation.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee countered that the city’s sanctuary policies enable residents to report crimes and access services without fear, and stated no federal threats would alter that commitment. The White House provided no specific executive order or actionable directive when asked about the funding mechanism, instead referring only to Trump’s public remarks made at a Detroit economic club event.

(Source: https://abc7news.com/post/bay-area-could-lose-billions-trump-cuts-funding-sanctuary-cities-attorney-general-rob-bonta-says-unlawful/18401281/?ex_cid=TA_KGO_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook)

Trump wants US taxpayers to reimburse oil firm donors for Venezuela investment

President Donald Trump stated that US taxpayers could reimburse oil companies for reconstructing Venezuelan infrastructure to extract and export oil following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. Trump declared that “a tremendous amount of money” would be required and suggested his government would compensate energy firms through direct reimbursement or revenue sharing, explicitly linking military intervention to corporate profit.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright is scheduled to meet executives from Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil at a Goldman Sachs conference in Miami this week to discuss increasing Venezuelan oil production. These meetings represent the administration’s strategy to restore US oil company operations in Venezuela after nearly two decades of government control of the industry, contradicting Trump’s earlier claims that he had already held talks with “all” major US oil companies regarding Maduro’s removal.

Trump acknowledged no prior briefing of oil companies before military action but claimed companies were aware of discussions about intervention. When asked if he personally contacted top executives, Trump stated it was “too soon” to confirm direct conversations, saying “I speak to everybody,” despite Reuters reporting that no representatives from the three major firms had engaged with the White House on Venezuela operations before or after Maduro’s seizure.

Trump’s blockade announcement of Venezuelan oil tankers exposed the operation’s economic objectives beyond stated anti-drug rationales. Venezuela’s crude production has collapsed to approximately 1.1 million barrels daily from 3.5 million in 1999 due to underinvestment and sanctions, and industry analysts warn that reconstruction requires years of work and billions in investment amid political uncertainty and unclear US policy direction.

Stock markets responded immediately to Trump’s Venezuela initiative, with the S&P 500 energy index reaching its highest level since March 2025 on Monday, as ExxonMobil gained 2.2% and Chevron jumped 5.1%. The White House claimed US oil companies were “ready and willing” to make large investments to rebuild Venezuelan oil infrastructure, while the targeted companies declined to comment on their involvement or commitment to Trump’s stated plans.

(Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/06/trump-us-taxpayers-oil-firms-venezuela-investment?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=fb_us&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRleAPKh-pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe_-yezUeRoVFdugcD1nvSw5XtSl1m5n_0dygqy2cYQq8J1z-O6-KB_zPL_K4_aem_UlldULbmcvRIeiE8DDl0jg#Echobox=1767698755)

How Did DOGE Disrupt So Much While Saving So Little? – The New York Times

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency claimed to have made over 29,000 federal cuts and slashed billion-dollar contracts, yet federal spending increased rather than decreased under DOGE’s oversight. The group failed to achieve its stated goal of reducing federal spending by $1 trillion before October, contradicting Musk’s core promises about the agency’s mission.

A New York Times analysis of hundreds of federal records found that 28 of DOGE’s top 40 largest savings claims were inaccurate, with the 13 largest claims all proven wrong. Two Defense Department contracts—one for information technology and one for aircraft maintenance—were listed as terminated with claimed savings of $7.9 billion, but both contracts remain active and the savings were fabricated. A U.S.A.I.D. contract with Accenture showed DOGE claiming $312 million in savings by reducing the contract ceiling, despite actual spending patterns making that figure implausible by the original 2033 end date.

Beyond inflated major claims, the overwhelming majority of DOGE’s cuts involved minimal amounts, with 80 percent of contract and grant cancellations claiming savings of $1 million or less. Of approximately 29,000 total cuts reported, 8,611 claimed zero savings, while only 11 claimed savings exceeding $1 billion, demonstrating that DOGE’s disruption of federal operations produced negligible fiscal results.

The analysis demonstrates that DOGE’s extensive disruption of federal programs, grants to small businesses, and foreign aid functioned without corresponding budget reductions. NASA workforce cuts exceeded 20 percent and misinformation campaigns targeted the Social Security Administration, yet these actions produced neither the promised savings nor policy improvements. DOGE’s track record reveals systematic exaggeration masking a failure to deliver on its central mission.

(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/us/politics/doge-musk-trump-analysis.html)

Trump Admits No One Wants to Build Him a Monument

Donald Trump publicly acknowledged that his $400 million White House ballroom project functions as a personal monument because he cannot secure one through conventional means. During a meeting with Fox News host Jesse Watters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, “It’s a monument. I’m building a monument to myself because no one else will,” according to Watters’ account delivered at the Turning Point USA AmericaFest event on December 21, 2025. The admission exposes the vanity-driven nature of a project that Trump plans to name after himself.

The ballroom, originally budgeted at $200 million, has surged to $400 million in costs and occupies 90,000 square feet—reportedly four times the size of the White House itself. Trump demolished the East Wing in October to make room for the project without submitting official plans to the National Capital Planning Commission, violating standard federal construction oversight procedures. The National Trust Preservation Committee has questioned Trump’s authority to proceed with construction absent independent architectural and historical reviews.

Corporate donors including Microsoft, Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin, Amazon, and Comcast are funding the project—many of which hold private government contracts, creating direct conflicts of interest. The White House claimed the ballroom represents “historic beautification” at no taxpayer expense, though the reliance on corporate donors with federal business relationships contradicts assertions of independence from public financial burden.

The structure will include a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, multi-level colonnade, passageway to the executive residence, visitor entrance, bedrooms, offices, and “monumental stairs,” designed for completion by 2029 coinciding with the end of Trump’s second term. Trump’s explicit framing of the project as a personal monument to himself, combined with his documented attacks on journalists questioning the project’s costs, demonstrates his use of federal property and resources for self-aggrandizement.

Critics have characterized the ballroom as Trump’s most ambitious vanity project, part of a broader pattern of rebranding federal landmarks and institutions to bear his name. The project’s escalating cost, corporate funding mechanism, lack of regulatory compliance, and Trump’s own admission of its purpose as a personal monument collectively demonstrate how Trump weaponizes presidential authority to enrich and memorialize himself at the expense of constitutional process and institutional integrity.

(Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-admits-no-one-wants-to-build-him-a-monument/)

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