The Trump administration has put a hold on funding for Chicago infrastructure projects, adding to the list of cuts as the government is shut down for a third day.

Some $2.1 billion is being paused for Chicago’s Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization Project, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced Friday.

He wrote on X that the pause is to “ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed back on the funding pause, saying, “Argentina gets $20 billion and the South Side gets nothing. What happened to America First?” He was referring to a U.S. bailout for Argentina announced late last month.

“South Siders have waited for more than 50 years for the Red Line Extension. This project will bring 25,000 jobs to the Chicago area and billions in new development. The Red Line Extension is the single largest investment in the Far South Side in a generation,” Mr. Johnson said. “Right when we are finally on the brink of moving forward, Trump just cut off the funding. From public safety to public education to public transit, this president is cutting the services that working people rely upon.”

The hold on funding mirrors the one announced for New York earlier this week for the Hudson Tunnel and Second Avenue subway projects.

However, for the New York projects, the Transportation Department said the money was put on hold pending review to “determine whether any unconstitutional practices are occurring.” It said that due to a Democrat shutdown, the review will take more time.

The Transportation Department said in a release Friday, “Illinois, like New York, is well known to promote race- and sex-based contracting and other racial preferences as a public policy.”

“Together, these critical reviews are intended to ensure no additional federal dollars go towards discretionary, illegal, and wasteful contracting practices,” the department said. “The American people don’t care what race or gender construction workers, pipefitters, or electricians are. They just want these massive projects finally built quickly and efficiently.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to say Friday whether the administration would end the holds on funding as part of any agreement to end the shutdown.

“Senate Republicans are talking with their colleagues on the Democrat side, but right now, Russ Vought is doing what he’s been tasked to do in the midst of this government shutdown, which is to look at funds that need to be temporarily halted or need to be canceled, and Chicago is just another example of that,” she said.

The shutdown has turbocharged the administration’s efforts to fire federal workers, reduce spending and eliminate programs that the president doesn’t like.

The president has embraced the cuts, posting a video on Truth Social depicting Mr. Vought as the Grim Reaper in an AI-created video.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.