https://www.scmp.com/rss/522825/feed The latest news and top stories on Russell Vought. A prominent conservative political analyst, he previously served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the first Trump administration. Vought is a key architect of Project 2025, a comprehensive initiative aiming to reshape the US federal government and expand executive power. He founded the Center for Renewing America, advocating for fiscal discipline, deregulation and civil service reform. His work focuses on centralising... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse,Reuters Agence France-Presse,Reuters US President Donald Trump accused “kamikaze” Democrats of being prepared to destroy the country as the government shutdown became the longest in history on Wednesday, eclipsing the 35-day record set during the Republican leader’s first term. Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, and the pain has been mounting as welfare programmes – including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or Snap, that helps millions of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331679/trump-blames-kamikaze-democrats-longest-ever-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:47:18 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Cuts to federal research would weaken America’s scientific edge against Beijing, said Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the US House committee focused on China, who is pressing budget chief Russ Vought on whether his office has assessed their impact. “While the United States is dismantling the very foundations that have sustained our STEM and innovation leadership for generations, Beijing has announced its plans to continue accelerating its investments in science, technology, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3331542/top-democrat-challenges-us-budget-chief-over-science-cuts-beijing-boosts-research?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3331542/top-democrat-challenges-us-budget-chief-over-science-cuts-beijing-boosts-research?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:47:30 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Pentagon said it received an anonymous US$130 million donation to pay the military during the US government shutdown, a move the Trump administration might not legally be able to carry out. “On October 23, 2025, the Department of War accepted an anonymous donation of US$130 million under its general gift acceptance authority,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement on Friday. “The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330283/anonymous-trump-friend-gifts-pentagon-us130-million-pay-us-troops-during-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3330283/anonymous-trump-friend-gifts-pentagon-us130-million-pay-us-troops-during-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:04:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters The 20-day US federal government shutdown is likely to end this week, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Monday. “I think the Schumer shutdown is likely to end sometime this week,” White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said in an interview on CNBC, referring to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, said his “friends in the Senate” believed it was “bad optics for Democrats to open the government before the ‘No Kings’... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329711/us-shutdown-near-end-after-no-kings-rallies-says-white-house-adviser-kevin-hassett?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329711/us-shutdown-near-end-after-no-kings-rallies-says-white-house-adviser-kevin-hassett?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:26:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters A federal judge in California on Wednesday ordered US President Donald Trump’s administration to halt mass lay-offs of federal workers during a partial government shutdown while she considers claims by unions that the job cuts are illegal. During a hearing in San Francisco, US District Judge Susan Illston granted a request by two unions to block lay-offs at more than 30 federal agencies while the case proceeds. The decision is likely to be appealed quickly, but it offers a reprieve for federal... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329169/us-judge-blocks-trumps-plan-fire-thousands-government-workers-during-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329169/us-judge-blocks-trumps-plan-fire-thousands-government-workers-during-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 20:38:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The White House said on Friday it had begun mass lay-offs of federal workers as US President Donald Trump sought to amp up pressure on opposition Democrats to end a government shutdown that has crippled public services. With the crisis set to go into a third week and no off-ramp in sight, Trump’s budget chief Russ Vought confirmed on social media that the administration had begun following through on its threat to begin firing some of the 750,000 public servants placed on enforced leave. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328609/substantial-shutdown-firings-have-begun-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3328609/substantial-shutdown-firings-have-begun-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 18:07:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Donald Trump signalled on Thursday that he planned to follow through on his threat for mass lay-offs of US federal workers as he ratcheted pressure on Democrats to back moves to end the government shutdown. The Republican US president announced he would meet budget chief Russell Vought “to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent”. Trump’s announcement on social media... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327695/trump-piles-pain-democrats-over-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3327695/trump-piles-pain-democrats-over-us-government-shutdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:56:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Senate early on Thursday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for billions of dollars in cuts to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, handing the Republican president another victory as he exerts control over Congress with little opposition. The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favour of Trump’s request to cut US$9 billion in spending already approved by Congress. Most of the cuts are to programmes to assist foreign countries suffering from disease, war and natural disasters, but... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318595/us-senate-passes-aid-public-broadcasting-cuts-victory-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318595/us-senate-passes-aid-public-broadcasting-cuts-victory-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:17:00 +0000