The Trump administration will essentially formalize Elon Musk's disruption of the federal government with its new budget proposal — even after the tech billionaire prepares to return to private business.
The proposed 2026 budget includes steep cuts that would eliminate some federal programs and shred the social safety net, cutting billions of dollars from programs supporting child care, health research, education, housing assistance, community development and the elderly, according to preliminary documents obtained by the New York Times.
"The early blueprint reflects Mr. Trump’s long-held belief that some federal antipoverty programs are unnecessary or rife with waste, fraud and abuse," the newspaper reported. "And it echoes many of the ideas espoused by his budget director, Russell T. Vought, a key architect of Project 2025 who subscribes to the view that the president has expansive powers to ignore Congress and cancel spending viewed as 'woke and weaponized.'"
"He previously endorsed some of the cuts to housing, education and other programs that Mr. Trump is expected to unveil in the coming days," the Times added.
The White House is expected to release the budget as soon as next week, according to two sources familiar with the subject, and Trump is expected to then announce another measure that would slash $9 billion in congressionally approved spending – including funds for PBS and NPR – that are expected to map out the Republican economic agenda.
"Their ambitions are projected to cost trillions of dollars, though Republican leaders have explored whether to invoke a budget accounting trick to make it seem as though their tax package does not add considerably to the federal debt," the Times reported.
However, some of the cuts would actually make the federal deficit worse, according to the Times.
"The White House is looking to reduce about $2.5 billion from the budget of the Internal Revenue Service with the goal of ending the Biden administration’s 'weaponization of I.R.S. enforcement,' which it said targeted conservatives and small businesses," the Times reported. "Budget scorekeepers have previously said that cuts to the I.R.S. would reduce the amount of revenue coming into the government, since it would make it harder for the tax collector to go after businesses and people who owe money but do not pay."