Story highlights The term was coined by White House chief strategist Steve Bannon

The process began with Trump's staffing decisions

(CNN) Donald Trump's budget proposal was a statement of intent. And his actions this week were a down payment.

The warning to Americans from the government is clear: your national defense will be well-funded and your security will be a priority, but for benefits beyond the most basic services, don't count on me. It's a kind of break-up note to taxpayers. Uncle Sam can still be your friend, sure, but that's it. Nothing more.

In Washington, the vogue term is the "deconstruction of the administrative state." That was coined by White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who used it during a rare public chat at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland last month.

JUST WATCHED The world according to Steve Bannon Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH The world according to Steve Bannon 02:17

The process, he explained, began with Trump's first presidential hires.

"If you look at these Cabinet appointees, they were selected for a reason and that is the deconstruction, the way the progressive left runs, is if they can't get it passed, they're just gonna put in some sort of regulation in -- in an agency," Bannon said. "That's all gonna be deconstructed and I think that that's why this regulatory thing is so important."

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