Russ Vought, Director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB), speaks on the National Conservative Convention in Washington D.C., Sept. 3, 2025.
Dominic Gwinn | Afp | Getty Images
The Trump administration has placed on maintain $2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects, primarily two efforts to enhance town’s transit system, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought mentioned Friday.
Vought’s announcement on the third day of the U.S. authorities shutdown comes on the heels of two different strikes by the Trump administration focusing on funding in cities and states led by Democrats.
President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have blamed Democrats in Congress for the shutdown, and Trump mentioned Thursday that the shutdown had given him an “unprecedented opportunity” to chop what he known as “Democrat Agencies.”
Vought on Wednesday first revealed that the Department of Transportation was freezing $18 billion in federal funding for 2 main infrastructure projects in New York City.
Later that very same day, Vought mentioned the Department of Energy had cancelled practically $8 billion in funding for climate-related projects and different efforts in 16 states, all of which had been received by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris within the 2024 election.
On Friday, Vought in a publish on X wrote, “$2.1 billion in Chicago infrastructure projects–specifically the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project–have been put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”
“More data to come back quickly from @USDOT,” Vought added, referring to the Department of Transportation.
A rider heads towards the steps to board a Red Line prepare on the CTA Grand station on Dec. 19, 2023, in Chicago. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service by way of Getty Images)
Eileen T. Meslar | Chicago Tribune | Tribune News Service | Getty Images
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