uss Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced on Friday that his office has begun issuing Reduction in Force notices to an unspecified number of furloughed federal workers. According to AOL reports, this move marks the Trump administration's start to axing positions amid ongoing efforts to shrink government operations.

In related developments, Vought announced the dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a key federal climate center. AOL noted reactions from figures like historian Larry Schweikart, who praised the decision as a step forward.

Congress pushed back strongly. Balanced Weather reports that the House Rules Committee released a draft explanatory statement for the fiscal year 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science budget on Monday. This document rejects the administration's plan to eliminate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Oceanic Research and directs the National Science Foundation to maintain all facilities, limiting any directorate funding cuts to no more than five percent below fiscal year 2024 levels. It also requires agencies to seek congressional approval for any deviations, aiming to curb OMB's influence over spending.

Legal battles continue. A Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals order filed January fifth denied the government's mandamus petition in a case challenging Executive Order 14210, which directs large-scale federal reductions in force. The ruling, involving Vought and other officials, upheld a district court's push for agency reorganization plans amid disputes over deliberative process privileges and separation of powers.

Additionally, Vought is set to attend a closed-door Senate Republican lunch on Tuesday to discuss proposed rescissions, including cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and foreign aid, as LAist reports. The administration eyes more packages soon, tying into broader Department of Government Efficiency goals.

These actions highlight Vought's central role in reshaping federal spending and structure.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, made headlines this week with bold moves on federal workforce cuts. On Friday, Vought announced via social media that his office began issuing Reduction in Force notices to an unspecified number of furloughed federal employees, sparking immediate backlash as part of the Trump administrations push to shrink government. AOL reports this abrupt step aligns with Executive Order 14210, directing large-scale reductions in force across agencies.

Court battles intensified over these plans. On January 5, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a government petition for rehearing en banc in a case brought by the American Federation of Government Employees against Vought, President Trump, and others. The courts order upheld a lower ruling requiring camera production of agency Reduction in Force and Reorganization Plans, rejecting claims of deliberative process privilege. Dissenting judges, including Judge Bumatay, argued the panel weakened separation of powers by forcing disclosure of internal executive documents, while the majority countered that the privilege did not apply here.

Congress pushed back too. A House explanatory statement for the fiscal year 2026 science budget, reported by Balanced Weather, rejected the administrations plan to eliminate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Office of Oceanic Research and demanded the National Science Foundation maintain all facilities. It explicitly requires reprogramming requests for any deviations, aiming to curb Voughts influence on appropriations.

Voughts deregulatory efforts drew scrutiny as well. The American Action Forum noted OMB claimed 646 actions saving 211 billion dollars under Executive Order 14192, though details on calculations remain sparse.

These developments highlight Voughts central role in reshaping federal spending and structure amid legal and legislative friction.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced on social media that substantial reductions in force, known as RIFs, have begun across federal agencies amid the ongoing government shutdown. According to LAist reports, Vought posted on X stating the RIFs have begun, with an OMB spokesperson confirming to NPR that the process is underway and affects a significant number of employees, though exact figures remain fluid. Agencies hit include the Department of Health and Human Services with one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred employees, the Department of Education with four hundred sixty six, Commerce with three hundred fifteen, Energy with one hundred eighty seven, and Homeland Security with one hundred seventy six.

Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees strongly oppose the moves, calling them illegal and harmful to essential services. AFGE National President Everett Kelley described it as disgraceful for using the shutdown to fire workers who protect the country and respond to disasters. Senator Susan Collins also criticized Vought, opposing permanent layoffs of furloughed federal workers during what she called an unnecessary shutdown caused by Democrats.

In related tensions, congressional Democrats accused Vought and the Trump administration of overstepping by directing NASA to prepare shutdown plans for key climate satellites like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions, despite Congress funding them through fiscal year twenty twenty five. Representative Zoe Lofgren stated Congress holds the power of the purse, not Trump or Vought, and called the actions illegal. LAist cited NASA employees confirming orders to develop termination plans tied to the proposed fiscal year twenty twenty six budget, though OMB denied involvement.

These developments fuel shutdown debates, with Republicans blaming Democrats for refusing to reopen government without health insurance subsidy extensions, while Democrats see it as a deliberate push to shrink federal bureaucracy. Court orders have paused some RIFs, with hearings pending.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, recently announced on social media that reduction in force actions, known as RIFs, have begun across federal agencies. According to an LAist report, this move affects thousands of workers amid a government shutdown, with the Department of Health and Human Services facing one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred layoffs, the Department of Education four hundred sixty six, Commerce three hundred fifteen, Energy one hundred eighty seven, and Homeland Security one hundred seventy six. OMB spokesperson Stephen Billy described the situation as fluid and rapidly evolving in a court declaration responding to a federal judge's order.

Vought's announcement came hours before a court deadline requiring details on planned RIFs tied to the shutdown. American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley called it disgraceful, arguing it illegally targets workers providing critical services. Senator Susan Collins strongly opposed the permanent layoffs of furloughed employees, blaming the shutdown on partisan disputes. Democrats like Chuck Schumer accused Vought and President Trump of deliberate chaos to shrink the federal bureaucracy.

Courts have mixed rulings on these efforts. Federal Worker Rights blog notes the Supreme Court rejected injunctions blocking RIFs at the Department of Education and government wide, enabling nearly twenty thousand terminations. However, lower courts halted attempts to close agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where Vought instructed employees to stay home ten months ago, and parts of Health and Human Services. A federal judge recently ruled Vought must keep the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau funded, blocking closure plans, as reported by Politico.

Vought also targeted the National Center for Atmospheric Research, calling it one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in a social media post, according to AOL news. This aligns with broader efforts to cut rules, with over six hundred federal regulations eliminated in the past year, ahead of a planned meeting with President Trump on October second, twenty twenty five.

Ongoing litigation, including Merit Systems Protection Board cases and potential Supreme Court reviews on channeling doctrine, will shape federal workforce changes into twenty twenty six.

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Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, has been at the center of the Trump administration's most aggressive federal workforce reduction efforts in recent months. According to multiple news sources, Vought announced in late December that substantial reduction-in-force operations, known as RIFs, had begun across numerous federal agencies. The announcement came via social media post stating simply "The RIFs have begun," signaling the start of what administration officials confirmed would be a significant downsizing of federal employees.

The scope of these layoffs has been extensive. According to federal worker rights organizations tracking the situation, the Department of Health and Human Services saw between 1,100 and 1,200 employees affected, the Department of Education lost 466 positions, the Commerce Department cut 315 employees, the Energy Department removed 187 workers, and the Department of Homeland Security eliminated 176 positions. An OMB spokesperson acknowledged the reductions were substantial but initially declined to provide complete details, noting the situation was fluid and rapidly evolving.

Vought's actions have sparked significant legal challenges. According to court documents and legal tracking organizations, federal judges have blocked several of the administration's workforce reduction attempts. One major point of contention involved Vought's efforts to defund and close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with a federal judge ordering that Vought must keep the agency funded and cannot proceed with closure attempts. Similarly, courts have prevented the shuttering of other agencies including the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Beyond workforce reductions, Vought has also targeted federal research facilities. According to news reports, he called the National Center for Atmospheric Research one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country, signaling the administration's intent to scrutinize and potentially reduce funding for climate-focused research institutions.

These actions represent the continuation of broader government efficiency efforts that began when the Trump administration took office in January 2025. Legal experts tracking federal employment cases indicate that 2026 will likely see resolutions in numerous pending lawsuits challenging these reductions, with the Supreme Court potentially clarifying key legal doctrines that will determine whether such cases can proceed directly in court.

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Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced substantial layoffs of federal workers this week amid the ongoing government shutdown. According to an AOL article, Vought posted on X that the RIFs, meaning reductions in force, have begun, targeting more than four thousand employees across agencies. LAist reports that an OMB spokesperson confirmed to NPR the layoffs are substantial, with details emerging in a court declaration listing affected departments. The Department of Health and Human Services faces one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred job cuts, as stated by HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon, who noted these non-essential workers were furloughed due to the shutdown. The Department of Education will lose four hundred sixty-six employees, drawing criticism from union leaders like Rachel Gittleman of AFGE Local two fifty-two, who called it an illegal dismantling against congressional intent.

Vought's move came hours before a court deadline ordered by U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, who is overseeing a lawsuit challenging the layoffs. OMB senior advisor Stephen Billy described the situation as fluid in his declaration, hinting at more reductions ahead. President Trump echoed this, telling supporters it affects a lot of people because of Democrats refusing to end the shutdown without health care subsidies.

USA Today first reported Vought's involvement in another major decision: the breakup of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado. Vought announced this on X Tuesday night, aiming to end the center's operations, which climate scientists say is critical for research.

These actions align with the Trump administration's push to shrink the federal bureaucracy, including prior efforts at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where Vought served as acting director earlier this year. Critics like Senator Susan Collins strongly oppose the permanent layoffs of furloughed workers, calling their roles vital to the public.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced major federal workforce reductions this week amid the ongoing government shutdown. According to AOL, Vought posted on X that the RIFs, meaning Reductions in Force, have begun, targeting more than four thousand federal workers. LAist reports an OMB spokesperson confirmed to NPR that these layoffs are substantial, with details emerging on affected agencies.

The Department of Health and Human Services faces one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred employee cuts, as stated by HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon, who noted these workers were deemed non-essential. The Department of Education will lose four hundred sixty-six employees, drawing criticism from American Federation of Government Employees Local two fifty-two president Rachel Gittleman, who called it an illegal dismantling against congressional intent.

Vought's moves align with Trump administration efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy. USA Today, cited in AOL, also covered Vought's announcement on X about breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, aiming to end its operations.

These actions follow court orders, including one from U.S. District Judge Susan Illston requiring details on planned layoffs. OMB senior advisor Stephen Billy described the situation as fluid, with numbers subject to change. President Trump blamed Democrats, saying it will affect a lot of people.

Democrats and unions oppose the layoffs, with Senator Susan Collins strongly criticizing Vought's attempt to permanently fire furloughed workers. The moves tie into broader Department of Government Efficiency initiatives started earlier this year.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, has led major federal workforce reductions amid the ongoing government shutdown. On Friday, Vought announced on X that the office has begun issuing Reduction in Force notices, or RIFs, to an unspecified but substantial number of federal workers, according to NPR and LAist reports. An OMB spokesperson confirmed the process is underway, with details on exact numbers expected soon.

This follows President Donald Trump's meeting with Vought last week to discuss cutting Democrat-led agencies, as noted in an AOL article. Trump called it an opportunity from Democrats rejecting funding plans. Vought warned House Republicans that layoffs were one to two days away, per NBC News cited in the same report. Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees sued the administration, calling the moves unlawful.

Affected agencies include the Department of Health and Human Services, where 1,100 to 1,200 non-essential employees received notices, HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told LAist. The White House ordered agencies to prepare for such cuts if the shutdown persists beyond September 30, 2025, an OMB memo stated via AOL.

Vought also cut $8 billion in energy projects across 16 states won by Kamala Harris in 2024, including California and New York, and paused an $18 billion climate project in New York City over diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, according to AOL. Common Dreams reports he directed the National Science Foundation to break up the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, threatening wildfire and storm predictions, per KQED.

Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, dismissed the layoffs as intimidation, vowing to fight for health care priorities like Affordable Care Act subsidies. Senator Susan Collins opposed permanent firings of furloughed workers.

These actions align with Vought's Project 2025 role advocating smaller government, amid over 200,000 civil servant departures this year, Honolulu Civil Beat noted.

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Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, has led bold moves amid the ongoing government shutdown. On Friday, Vought posted on the social media site X that reduction in force notices, known as RIFs, have begun for federal workers. An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed to NPR that the layoffs are substantial but gave no exact numbers yet. According to LAist, the Department of Health and Human Services faces one thousand one hundred to one thousand two hundred job cuts, targeting non essential employees.

President Donald Trump met with Vought last week to discuss federal job cuts, calling it a chance to target Democrat led agencies. Trump praised Vought as a key figure in Project twenty twenty five, the Heritage Foundation plan to shrink government through cuts and less regulation. AOL reports that Vought warned House Republicans the layoffs were one to two days away, following a memo threatening reductions if Democrats rejected funding plans.

Vought also announced cuts to projects in Democrat leaning states. He outlined eight billion dollars in energy project reductions across sixteen states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, and New York, all won by Kamala Harris in twenty twenty four. He paused an eighteen billion dollar climate project in New York City, citing unconstitutional diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.

Democrats call these actions intimidation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Vought is out of control. Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees sued the administration, arguing the firings break the law. Senator Susan Collins opposed permanent layoffs of furloughed workers.

AOL notes the administration froze transportation funding in Chicago and New York while canceling Biden era energy grants to reduce bureaucracy. These steps tie into Trumps workforce optimization push since January.

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Russ Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, made headlines this week with bold moves to reshape federal spending and operations. According to the Presidential Prayer Team, Vought announced the dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, calling it one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country. He stated that the National Science Foundation will break up the lab, with vital activities like weather research moved elsewhere while green research ends.

The Weekly List reports that the Wall Street Journal covered Vought's description of the center as a hub of climate alarmism, highlighting his push to eliminate what he views as wasteful programs. LAist and AOL note that Vought declared on social media that substantial Reduction in Force notices, or permanent layoffs, have begun for furloughed federal workers amid the government shutdown. He blamed Democrats for insane policy demands, including one trillion dollars in new spending, as agencies issue shutdown orders.

Progressive Charlestown details Vought's role in slashing USAID aid, with officials celebrating cuts to programs in places like South Sudan, though some lifesaving efforts faced delays despite promises to restore them. Reader Supported News links his actions to Project 2025 goals, like reducing the federal workforce and controlling contracts through data systems.

Democracy Forward's complaint, filed December 24, accuses Health and Human Services of abruptly terminating nearly twelve million dollars in grants to the American Academy of Pediatrics on December 16, affecting programs for infant death prevention, rural pediatric care, and newborn screenings. Education Week reports uncertainty over school mental health grants, with a judge ordering project-by-project reviews by December 30 after earlier cancellations.

These decisions underscore Vought's aggressive agenda to cut spending and bureaucracy, sparking legal challenges and debates over impacts on public services.

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Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought has been at the center of some of the most consequential federal decisions in recent days, as the Trump administration pushes ahead with its plans to dramatically shrink the federal bureaucracy and redirect budget priorities.

According to LAist, Vought set off alarms across Washington this week with a terse post on the social platform X declaring The reductions in force have begun. An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed to National Public Radio that substantial permanent layoffs of federal workers are underway, though the administration has not released an exact number or full agency by agency breakdown. The timing was striking, coming just hours before a court ordered deadline for the administration to disclose details of any planned or in progress layoff notices tied to the ongoing government shutdown.

National Public Radio reports that these layoffs are part of a broader workforce optimization initiative developed jointly by the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year. Agencies had been instructed to plan for multi phase staffing cuts aligned with President Trumps long stated goal of reducing the size of the federal workforce. The White House has also framed the move as consistent with its separate decisions to freeze certain transportation funds for major cities and cancel large Biden era energy grants.

The push has drawn criticism from both parties. Republican Senator Susan Collins issued a statement saying she strongly opposes Russ Voughts attempt to permanently lay off furloughed federal workers, arguing that employees should not be punished for a shutdown she blamed on partisan brinkmanship in Congress. Unions and public interest groups are warning listeners that the cuts could hamper basic government services just as agencies are already strained by the shutdown.

At the same time, faith focused outlet The Presidential Prayer Team notes that Vought is pressing ahead with another controversial move. He has backed a plan for the National Science Foundation to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, one of the countrys leading climate research hubs. Vought has described the facility as a major source of climate alarmism and has said that only essential weather and supercomputing functions will be relocated, while climate focused research is eliminated.

These decisions highlight how Russ Vought is using the Office of Management and Budget not just as a bookkeeping shop, but as a central lever to reshape federal priorities on climate science, social spending, and the very size of the civil service. For listeners, the full effects of these choices are likely to unfold over months and years, as agencies implement staffing cuts and research programs are moved or shut down.

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Russell Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, continues to be at the center of significant government actions and controversies as we move through late December 2025.

A major development came on December 22 when twenty-one attorneys general from Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a federal lawsuit challenging Vought's efforts to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. According to reporting from Politico, the attorneys general argue that Vought's refusal to request funding from the Federal Reserve is unlawful. Vought, who also serves as acting director of the CFPB, has been attempting to shut down the agency since February. His efforts to fire ninety percent of the agency's staff have been temporarily blocked by a district court ruling, but the bureau is expected to run out of funds within the next month. The states contend that Vought's actions violate the agency's statutory duty to work with states on consumer protection matters. In 2024 alone, the CFPB database led to ninety-three million dollars in restitutions for consumers.

Beyond the CFPB battle, Vought has been issuing guidance across multiple federal agencies. The OMB released a seven-page memo directing federal agencies to ensure that artificial intelligence systems they procure comply with the Trump administration's mandate against what they call woke AI. Vendors must provide sufficient information demonstrating their models align with administration principles, though agencies are instructed not to request sensitive technical data like model weights.

Earlier in December, Vought signed a letter to the Smithsonian Institution demanding documentation of current and upcoming exhibits, draft plans for shows, and internal guidelines used in exhibition development. The letter implies that noncompliance could result in loss of funding and references the nation's upcoming 250th birthday celebration. The administration had previously requested this information in August.

Meanwhile, the Government Accountability Office, a legislative branch agency tasked with investigating government spending, has conducted dozens of investigations into suspected violations of the Impoundment Control Act during 2025. The GAO has found that the Trump administration acted illegally when withholding funds for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, Head Start, FEMA, NIH grants, and support for libraries and museums. According to Talking Points Memo, under Vought's leadership, the OMB has refused to cooperate in GAO investigations, calling their requests voluminous, burdensome, and inappropriately invasive.

Additionally, Vought stated that the Trump administration could ultimately lay off more than ten thousand federal employees during a shutdown. He has also characterized the National Center for Atmospheric Research as one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country, leading to OMB announcements about closing the institution.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, faces a federal lawsuit filed by twenty-one attorneys general from Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. Politico reports the suit targets Vought's efforts to halt funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where he serves as acting director. The bureau could run out of money next month, according to the Wall Street Journal cited in the coverage. The attorneys general argue in Oregon federal district court that Vought's refusal to request funds from the Federal Reserve violates the law and hinders state cooperation on consumer complaints, which led to ninety-three million dollars in restitutions last year.

On December twenty-third, the Federal Register published an advisory opinion signed by Vought as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It states that Truth in Lending Regulation Z does not apply to earned wage access products, taking effect immediately.

Vought also issued a seven-page memo directing federal agencies to ensure artificial intelligence systems they procure are unbiased and ideologically neutral. CDO Magazine notes this follows President Trump's July executive order against so-called woke AI. Agencies must update contracts for vendors to provide training summaries and evaluation scores without sharing sensitive data.

Earlier this month at the Reagan National Defense Forum on December sixth, Vought spoke on budget priorities, per the Reagan Foundation.

The Trump administration, through Vought and Domestic Policy Council Director Vince Haley, sent a letter on December eighteenth demanding Smithsonian documents on exhibits. CBS Austin reports this ties to Trump's executive order Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, warning of funding cuts for noncompliance ahead of the nation's two hundred fiftieth birthday.

Critics highlight OMB under Vought stonewalling Government Accountability Office probes into impoundment issues, as Talking Points Memo details.

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Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, has been at the center of several major policy fights in recent days, touching everything from museums and science to homelessness and the federal workforce.

South Florida Reporter describes how the White House, through a letter signed by Russell Vought and Domestic Policy Council director Vince Haley, warned the Smithsonian Institution that federal funding could be delayed or withheld unless it complies with an extensive patriotic content review of exhibits. According to that report, the letter criticized earlier Smithsonian submissions as falling far short of requirements and set a firm January deadline for detailed internal budgets, project schedules, and exhibit text, especially for the America two hundred fifty celebrations. The article explains that Vought is leveraging the budget office apportionment power to press for what the administration calls content corrections in museum narratives.

Housing and homelessness policy has also brought Vought into the spotlight. Laist reports that a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking a sweeping overhaul of homelessness grants at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, an overhaul that would have shifted billions of dollars away from permanent housing toward more conditional, treatment focused programs. The story notes that the judge sharply criticized the chaos surrounding the rollout and cited public interest in stability for vulnerable populations, a direct rebuke to the changes promoted by the administration and overseen in budget terms by Voughts office.

In a separate Laist brief on federal layoffs, Vought announced on the social platform X that the reduction in force process had begun across multiple agencies, signaling what he called substantial layoffs of federal workers during the ongoing shutdown fight. The report notes that an Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed the cuts but offered few details, while labor unions and some Republicans in Congress, including Senator Susan Collins, condemned Voughts push to permanently eliminate furloughed positions as an abuse of shutdown politics.

These actions come on top of broader efforts linked to Vought and other Project Twenty Twenty Five architects to shrink and redirect federal institutions, from foreign aid and climate research to domestic social programs, as described by outlets such as The Fulcrum and Colorado Public Radio in their coverage of State Department cuts and protests over plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

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Listeners, in the past few days Russell Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, has moved to the center of a major science and budget fight in Washington.

According to ABC News, Vought announced on the social media platform X that the National Science Foundation will break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, a flagship hub for United States weather and climate research that has operated for more than six decades. He described the facility as one of the largest sources of what he called climate alarmism and said its Green New Deal style research activities should be eliminated, while essential weather modeling and supercomputing would be moved elsewhere.

USA Today and other outlets report that this decision, backed by the Trump administration, would restructure or relocate key parts of the center, potentially disrupting the flow of high quality weather and climate data that many agencies, universities, and forecasters depend on. Engineering News Record notes that National Center for Atmospheric Research supercomputers underpin widely used weather and climate models, including the Weather Research and Forecasting model that helps predict severe thunderstorms and extreme rainfall.

The move has drawn intense criticism. Colorado senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, along with congressman Joe Neguse, issued a joint statement condemning the plan, calling the National Center for Atmospheric Research a core component of the states economy and warning that dismantling it would threaten lifesaving breakthroughs that provide early warnings for floods, fires, and other disasters. Colorado governor Jared Polis warned that the United States could lose its competitive edge against foreign powers in critical atmospheric science.

Climate scientists have also pushed back. The Nature Conservancy chief scientist Katharine Hayhoe said that dismantling the center is like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone of our scientific understanding of the planet. The Union of Concerned Scientists argued that closing or breaking up the center would especially harm smaller colleges and universities that rely on its models and computing power.

In parallel with this controversy, Russell Vought has been issuing joint guidance with the Office of Personnel Management on broader federal workforce changes, including a December memo on creating what they call Federal Human Resources two point zero by consolidating core human capital management, and earlier guidance on implementing the Presidents Department of Government Efficiency workforce optimization plans.

For now, the National Science Foundation says it is reviewing the structure of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and will seek feedback from partner agencies and the research community, while Vought and the administration frame the effort as eliminating what they see as politicized climate work and refocusing on operational weather needs.

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Listeners, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought is back in the news this week for a decision that has set off a major fight over climate and weather research in the United States. According to USA Today, Vought announced on the social media platform X that the National Science Foundation will break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, and launch a comprehensive review of its operations. He said that only core missions like weather research would be moved to another entity, while what he called green new scam activities would be eliminated.

NCAR is a major federal funded research hub that underpins much of the nations ability to model hurricanes, severe storms, and long term climate trends. The Washington Post and other outlets have long described the center as central to the data and modeling pipeline that feeds forecasts used by emergency managers and the military. Scientists told Common Dreams this week that dismantling NCAR could set back efforts to predict and prepare for extreme weather.

Colorado leaders are treating Voughts move as both a scientific and political flashpoint. Democratic Representative Joe Neguse told Common Dreams that the decision to shutter or break up NCAR is deeply dangerous, calling the facility one of the most renowned scientific centers in the world and vowing to fight the directive with every legal tool available. Colorado Governor Jared Polis said his administration had received no formal notice but warned that, if the plan proceeds, public safety is at risk and science is being attacked.

Climate experts are also sounding alarms. Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe described NCAR as our global mothership for climate science, while hurricane specialist Michael Lowry said the center is crucial to cutting edge meteorology and improvements in weather forecasting. Scientists quoted by Common Dreams and Engineering News Record argue that the move would disrupt a vital stream of weather and climate data used worldwide.

The timing of Voughts announcement has added fuel to the controversy. Common Dreams notes that the breakup plan came just days after former President Donald Trump moved to pardon former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted in state court for breaching voting systems in an effort to support false election fraud claims. Critics in Colorado suggest the NCAR decision is a form of political retaliation against a state leadership that accepts climate science and rejected Trumps claims about the 2020 election.

For now, Russ Voughts role as the architect of this proposed breakup places him at the center of an intensifying battle over how the next administration will treat federal science, climate policy, and the infrastructure that supports lifesaving weather prediction.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, continues to drive major changes in federal workforce management. On December 10, according to the Office of Personnel Management published memos, Vought joined with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor to issue a memo titled Creating Federal Human Resources Two Point Zero by Consolidating Core Human Capital Management Across the Federal Government. This plan calls for a single technology platform to handle all federal human resources data by fiscal year twenty twenty-eight, aiming to streamline operations governmentwide.

Government Executive reports that the joint memo from Vought and Kupor, released on Wednesday, lays out these details for agencies. Just days earlier, on December fifteen, OPM issued a memo on Building the Artificial Intelligence Workforce of the Future, led by Kupor, reflecting Vought's broader push for efficiency amid ongoing workforce reforms.

Vought's influence extends to artificial intelligence policy. ExecutiveGov states that on Thursday, Vought released a seven-page memorandum setting contractual requirements for federal purchases of large language models. The memo enforces unbiased artificial intelligence principles from a July executive order, mandating truth-seeking and ideological neutrality in models. Agencies must gather vendor details on acceptable use policies, model cards, and feedback mechanisms, updating their procedures by March eleven.

Federal workers express anxiety over Vought's role. MS Now describes civil servants feeling insecure amid shutdown threats, linking it to Vought's past comments calling bureaucrats villains and wanting them traumatically affected, ideas tied to Project twenty twenty-five. President Trump praised Vought on October two for using a potential shutdown to shrink bureaucracy.

Criticism also surrounds foreign aid cuts. Mother Jones reports that Vought, alongside others, contributed to slashing U.S. Agency for International Development funding, leading to cholera spikes in South Sudan, though administration officials deny direct deaths from the moves.

These actions highlight Vought's focus on reducing federal size and modernizing systems.

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Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, remains at the center of recent federal workforce and budget debates. According to MS Now on December 16, 2025, federal workers expressed deep anxiety over plans from the Office of Personnel Management to reclassify tens of thousands of career civil service jobs as at-will positions, boosting presidential accountability. Vought, a key figure in Project 2025, has been linked to these shifts, with past statements calling bureaucrats villains who need to feel trauma, now reflected in the current mood nearly a year into President Trump's second term.

On December 10, 2025, Vought co-authored a memo with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor titled Creating Federal Human Resources 2.0, aimed at consolidating core human capital management across government agencies, as listed on the Office of Personnel Management published memos page.

ExecutiveGov reports that on a recent Thursday, Vought issued a seven-page memorandum enforcing unbiased artificial intelligence principles in federal contracts for large language models. Agencies must now verify vendor compliance with truth-seeking and ideological neutrality standards from a July executive order, updating procurement policies by March 11.

Mother Jones detailed Vought's role in slashing USA International Development Agency funding, where Office of Management and Budget controls tightened grants amid austerity pushes led by Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, sparking controversy over humanitarian impacts.

Politico noted on December 16, 2025, that Vought's office favors letting Affordable Care Act subsidies expire, weighing fiscal risks in ongoing White House health care discussions.

These moves highlight Vought's aggressive push to reshape government efficiency and accountability.

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Listeners, Russ Vought, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, is at the center of several major stories shaping federal workers lives and the direction of the government right now.

A key development is a joint memorandum issued on December tenth by Russell T Vought and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor, titled Creating Federal H R 2 point 0 by Consolidating Core Human Capital Management Across the Federal Government, which appears in the latest Office of Personnel Management published memos. This guidance pushes agencies to centralize human resources systems and streamline hiring, classification, and personnel services, part of a broader Trump administration effort to tighten control over the civil service and reduce what they consider bureaucratic bloat.

That memo comes on top of earlier guidance this year in which Vought, often alongside senior personnel officials, directed agencies to plan for reductions in force, reorganization, and stricter performance management, all linked to President Trumps Department of Government Efficiency initiative documented in multiple Office of Personnel Management policy releases. Together, these moves give the Office of Management and Budget a stronger hand in shaping who works in government and under what conditions.

According to a recent report from MSNBC, Vought has also been identified as a key architect behind Project 20 25, the conservative blueprint for remaking the federal government. That piece highlights how his rhetoric about civil servants being villains and his desire to see bureaucrats traumatically affected has translated into real anxiety across the federal workforce as new rules make it easier to fire career staff and convert positions into more political, at will roles. Federal employees interviewed in that story describe an atmosphere of insecurity and fear about more purges to come, while the White House and the Office of Management and Budget declined to comment on future cuts.

At the same time, Politico reports that Voughts budget office is playing a major role in internal White House debates over whether to let enhanced Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies expire. Officials inside the Office of Management and Budget are reportedly pressing the fiscal and ideological case against continuing what they see as Obamacare style spending, even as other advisers worry about a political backlash if premiums spike for millions of Americans.

Taken together, these recent moves and reports portray Russ Vought as one of the most influential figures in the administration, using the budget, personnel policy, and regulatory levers of the Office of Management and Budget to pursue an aggressive reshaping of both the federal workforce and core social programs.

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Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, announced substantial layoffs of federal workers this week amid a government shutdown. According to LAist reports, Vought posted on X that the reduction-in-force notices, or RIFs, have begun, affecting thousands across agencies. An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson confirmed to NPR the process is underway and substantial, though exact numbers remain fluid.

The Department of Health and Human Services faces 1,100 to 1,200 layoffs, with spokesperson Andrew Nixon calling affected employees non-essential due to the shutdown caused by Democrats. The Department of Education will cut 466 staff, drawing criticism from American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 president Rachel Gittleman, who accused the administration of illegally dismantling the agency. Other impacts include 315 at Commerce, 187 at Energy, and 176 at Homeland Security.

This move responds to a court order in a union lawsuit challenging shutdown-related firings. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston demanded details on planned RIFs, with a hearing set for next Wednesday. Unions argue the administration violates laws by using the shutdown to shrink bureaucracy.

Vought's actions align with his Project 2025 role, where he pushed to unwind climate initiatives. LAist notes the administration asked NASA to plan ending carbon dioxide satellite missions despite congressional funding through September 2025. Democrats warned acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy that Office of Management and Budget oversteps by halting appropriated funds.

President Trump praised the effort, blaming Democrats and promising more cuts. Senator Susan Collins opposed permanent layoffs of furloughed workers, calling their service vital.

These developments highlight ongoing tensions over federal workforce size during the shutdown.

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