Ed Martin, the incoming chief of staff for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President-elect Donald Trump, emphasized the importance of “impoundment” as a tool to curb wasteful government spending. Speaking on Breitbart News Daily, Martin outlined how this strategy could play a crucial role in implementing the vision of government efficiency advocated by Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Martin explained that impoundment allows the executive branch to withhold or delay spending approved by Congress, challenging the notion that every dollar appropriated must be spent. “Congress wants you to spend a million because they got 100 buddies of theirs at the trough … and they want the million loose on the street,” Martin said. He noted that if funds are allocated to projects like the Green New Deal, the OMB can freeze those funds if they deem them unnecessary or wasteful.
The practice of impoundment has historical roots dating back to the Founding Fathers, Martin asserted, adding that it has been a longstanding mechanism for controlling federal spending. He criticized government departments for engaging in wasteful end-of-year spending to avoid budget cuts, saying they often spend on “cars and computers” in August and September to use up their allocated funds.
Martin also highlighted Trump’s commitment to impoundment, stating, “He’s all about impoundment. You’re going to hear that word. The left is going to go crazy. They’re going to litigate it, and we’re going to win.” He expressed confidence that OMB could halt spending on left-wing initiatives like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs funded by taxpayer dollars.
Pointing to the Biden administration’s allocation of millions for DEI programs at U.S. embassies, Martin said, “The people there go, ‘What the hell is wrong with your embassy?’” He argued that freezing such spending would reflect responsible budgeting and hoped other officials, like Senator Marco Rubio, would support these efforts.
Martin concluded by stressing that if cabinet secretaries fail to act quickly enough, the OMB will step in to prevent wasteful expenditures, demonstrating the agency’s pivotal role in fiscal restraint under Trump’s leadership.
