The Senate on Thursday voted to confirm Russell Vought as the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The 53-47 vote sends Vought back to OMB, where he previously held the role of director toward the end of the first Trump administration. His confirmation also serves as a de facto green light for Vought’s sweeping plans to restructure the federal government in President Donald Trump’s image.
Senate Democrats fought harder to delay Vought’s confirmation than others of Trump’s nominations. Beginning late Wednesday morning and lasting through the night into Thursday afternoon, speakers held the Senate floor to rail against Vought’s promise to transform the executive branch and impound congressionally appropriated funds. But given Republicans’ acquiescence to Trump’s power grab, the final vote was a forgone conclusion, despite Vought’s plans to make the legislature all but obsolete.
In running OMB, Vought will now have the power to implement his vision for the Executive Office of the White House that he laid out in a chapter of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. Even before today’s vote, many of the changes that he had proposed were begun without him. Vought suggested prior to the election that he and other former Trump officials were drafting a raft of executive orders that would be signed on the first day of the new administration.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Hayes Brown is a writer and editor for MS NOW Daily.
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