President Donald Trump is dressed in a dark cloak and hitting a cowbell in his latest AI video depicting budget chief and Project 2025 architect Russ Vought as the grim reaper.
Trump posted the video, set to the tune of Blue Öyster Cult‘s “Don’t Fear the Ripper,” to his Truth Social account Thursday night that shows Vought carrying a scythe and threatening to slash Democratic priorities.
Vought’s data was used in Project 2025, the blueprint that outlined conservative policies ahead of the 2024 election. He was appointed by Trump as head of the Office of Management and Budget.
“Russ Vought is the reaper. He wields the pen, the funds and the brain,” the video says.
Since his swearing in, Trump has been pursuing plans laid out in Project 2025 to dramatically expand presidential power and reduce the size of the federal workforce. They include efforts like the Department of Government Efficiency and budget rescission packages, which have led to billions of dollars being stalled, scrapped or withheld by the administration so far this year.
They are now using the shutdown to accelerate their progress.
Ahead of the funding deadline, OMB directed agencies to prepare for additional mass firings of federal workers, rather than simply furloughing those who are not deemed essential, as has been the usual practice during past shutdowns. Vought told House GOP lawmakers in a private conference call Wednesday that layoffs would begin in the next day or two.
They have also used the shutdown to target projects championed by Democrats, including canceling $8 billion in green energy projects in states with Democratic senators and withholding $18 billion for transportation projects in New York City that have been championed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries in their home state.
Shortly after posting the grim reaper video, Trump made a video out of his photo showing Trump 2028 hats displayed during his negotiations with Schumer and Jeffries as the shutdown loomed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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