Donald Trump’s administration will withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, the White House budget director said Friday, expanding funding fights that have targeted Democratic areas during the government shutdown.
The administration is pausing a planned extension of the Red Line L train to “ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting,” budget director Russ Vought wrote on social media. The move throws immediate uncertainty into a project that had promised to connect some of the region’s most disadvantaged and predominantly Black neighborhoods.
Vought made a similar announcement earlier this week involving New York, where he said $18 billion for infrastructure would be paused, including funding for a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
Bad headline.
…As he could have done this anyway? Like, what does the shutdown have to do with it other than optics and literal vengance?