The White House budget chief said the Trump administration will pause over $11 billion in Army Corps projects — including in New York, San Francisco, Boston and Baltimore — as shutdown hits day 17. Russ Vought called them lower-priority and suggested they could be canceled. The move follows freezes and cancellations targeting Democratic-led areas and a plan to lay off thousands of federal workers, which a judge temporarily blocked, saying they appeared politically motivated. The actions appear designed to pressure Democrats to back a GOP stopgap; Democrats want health care tax credits extended and Medicaid cuts reversed.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.