Trump administration withholding $2.1B in Chicago infrastructure funding
The Trump administration announced Friday it was freezing $2.1 billion in funding for infrastructure projects in Chicago, marking the latest instance in recent days of the White House withholding money for projects in blue states.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought wrote in a post on social platform X that the money being put on hold was designated for an extension of the city’s Red Line and the Red and Purple Modernization Project
He added that the decision was made to “ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”
The Department of Transportation echoed that sentiment, saying funds were being frozen to allow for a review “to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discriminatory, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices.”
President Trump has repeatedly attacked Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) and in recent months has threatened to deploy the National Guard to the Windy City over concerns about crime. Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, and Johnson have aggressively pushed back on threats to deploy troops in the city.
Spokespeople for Johnson and Pritzker did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump signed an executive order upon taking office that sought to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the federal government and exert more control over federal grant recipients and federal contractors who have implemented DEI policies.
Since the government shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Vought has announced a series of projects in blue states had their federal funding paused or canceled, a sign that the White House intends to use the shutdown to punish Democrats.
Vought announced Wednesday the administration with freezing roughly $18 billion in funding for infrastructure projects in New York City, specifically the Hudson Tunnel project, which helps connect New Jersey and New York, and the Second Avenue subway.
The administration later announced it was canceling $7.5 billion in Biden-era funding for hundreds of energy projects. All of the states targeted were carried by former Vice President Harris in the 2024 election.
Trump has also threatened to layoff thousands of federal workers during the shutdown.