White House tells agencies to proceed with plans for Trump’s February budget in sign of defiance

The White House budget office has instructed federal agencies to continue preparing the administration’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, according to multiple administration officials. The White House budget proposal is typically issued in February, which would be at least two weeks after Trump is scheduled to depart the White House. The decision to proceed with President Donald Trump’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year has rankled and surprised several career staffers given Biden’s victory in the presidential election, as well as the fact that the incoming Biden administration is expected to submit its budget plan to Congress early next year.