GOP Senators Warn Aggressive' Shutdown Cuts Will Squander' Party's Moral High Ground'

"Republican senators warned President Donald Trump that an aggressive shutdown strategy will squander the party's moral high ground in pushback against moves to impose cuts and mass firings. Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, who threatened mass layoffs days before the shutdown was final, has already frozen $18 billion in infrastructure money for New York and $8 billion in clean-energy projects across 16 states, most of them Democratic strongholds."

"Russ is less politically in tune than the president. He added: We, as Republicans, have never had so much moral high ground on a government funding bill in our lives. I just don't see why we would squander it, which I think is the risk of being aggressive with executive power in this moment."

"Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) slammed the freezing of New York projects as totally unacceptable, warning that blocking work on the Hudson Tunnel would have real consequences in the wake of recent storm damage. Speaking to HuffPost, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) also cautioned that targeting blue states can create a toxic environment here. They need to be really careful with that, he said. He continued: So hopefully they're working with the leader, and the leader with them, on not creating more work to get us out of this."

Republican senators expressed alarm that an aggressive shutdown strategy and targeted funding freezes could squander political leverage and moral standing. OMB director Russ Vought froze $18 billion in New York infrastructure funds and $8 billion in clean-energy projects across 16 states. President Trump backed Vought and urged removing "dead wood" from government. The actions unnerved some Republicans who supported the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Sen. Kevin Cramer said Vought is politically out of tune and cautioned against using executive power aggressively. Senators Susan Collins and Thom Tillis warned that blocking projects in blue states would cause real consequences and a toxic political environment.

Read at www.mediaite.com