In a stunning leak, former Trump administration budget director Russell Vought was caught on video discussing a shocking plan to bypass Pentagon officials and deploy U.S. military forces against American citizens in the event of protests.
The video, recently released by ProPublica, reveals Vought’s strategy to enable former President Donald Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used law, to quash protests without interference from Defense Department “bureaucrats” or the legal community. “We want to shut down the riots and keep the defense and legal teams from interfering,” Vought remarked, showing the aggressive blueprint he envisioned to crush potential civilian uprisings.
The prospect of Trump wielding military power against U.S. citizens has cast a fresh spotlight on his rhetoric. In recent weeks, Trump has referred to certain groups as “the enemy within,” which he hinted could include high-profile Democratic lawmakers, such as Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff.
Trump’s stance has even prompted former Chief of Staff John Kelly, who served under him, to publicly call out his ex-boss as a fascist and warn that he could turn his vision of military action against Americans into reality if re-elected.
But Vought’s leaked plans went far beyond a show of military force. In the video, he outlined a sweeping agenda that included targeting federal agencies and environmental protections.
He spoke openly about plans to strip funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, essentially paralyzing its ability to enforce regulations aimed at safeguarding the environment. “We want the EPA’s funding shut down so they have no bandwidth financially to oppose our energy industry,” Vought declared, highlighting an intent to dismantle environmental oversight.
Vought also shared plans to “traumatize” federal employees by painting them as “villains” and creating a work environment so hostile that bureaucrats would “wake up in the morning and not want to go to work.” His approach to restructuring the government appears aimed at demoralizing the federal workforce, forcing seasoned public servants to quit, and recasting the administration’s power over federal agencies.
This video has not only stirred concern but has set off alarms among former top Trump officials. John Kelly, Trump’s previous chief of staff, described Vought’s words as emblematic of a fascist agenda, underscoring fears that Trump’s second term could involve even more aggressive tactics. The revelations have many asking: Just how far would these plans go if given a second chance?
