Project 2025’s Mastermind Russell Vought Is Running the Country—And Black America Is Paying the Price

October 24, 2025

Russell Vought, Donald Trump's former budget director, has emerged as the power behind the White House according to a ProPublica investigation. As the principal author of Project 2025, Vought is implementing policies aimed at creating what he calls a "Christian nation" by consolidating control through the Office of Management and Budget. The investigation reveals he has blocked aid for disadvantaged communities, canceled education programs, and dismantled health and environmental protections while controlling federal spending.

Who is affected

Low-income families and Black Americans who depend on education, public housing, and medical research programs that have been paused or canceled
Civil servants targeted for "traumatization" or mass firings
Federal agencies that have traditionally operated independently
Communities that rely on health and environmental protections
Groups depending on diversity and equity training programs

What action is being taken

Vought is consolidating power through the Office of Management and Budget to control federal spending
He is freezing funds and shutting down entire agencies
The League of Conservation Voters is fighting against Vought's agenda and supporting public servants
Vought is replacing diversity and equity training with what critics describe as ideology celebrating racial hierarchy
Vought is pausing or canceling funding for social programs supporting education, public housing, and medical research

Why it matters

Vought's actions represent what critics see as an attempt to reverse civil rights progress of the past half-century
His agenda is described by the League of Conservation Voters as a "direct attack on democracy"
Many of the affected programs are considered lifelines for low-income families and Black Americans
The consolidation of power through OMB allows for control of government spending without traditional checks and balances
Vought's plan seeks to grant the president control over traditionally independent agencies, including the Justice Department

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint