In a partisan vote on Thursday, the Senate confirmed Russell Vought as the next head of the Office of Management and Budget, despite strong opposition from Democrats. The Democrats, who have been divided on various Trump nominees, came together to voice their concerns against Vought. They view him as a symbol of the Trump administration’s agenda, focusing on his ties to Project 2025, his advocacy for cutting spending programs benefiting the middle class, and his denial of the election results. However, with only 47 Democratic votes in the Senate compared to the Republican majority of 53, there was little they could do to block Vought’s confirmation.
During the roll call vote, Democrats expressed their opposition to Vought, although Senate rules prohibit speeches during voting. Some Democrats mentioned representing first responders, federal workers, and other affected groups in their vote against Vought.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Vought, calling him a “fringe and hard-right individual” who would push forward Project 2025’s policies to the detriment of Americans. On the other hand, Republicans welcomed Vought’s confirmation, with House Speaker Mike Johnson expressing optimism for restoring fiscal responsibility and reducing regulations with Vought’s assistance.
After being confirmed, Vought expressed gratitude towards the President and the Senate, and emphasized the need to move forward. Vought’s association with the conservative blueprint “Project 2025” and his belief in the OMB director’s influential role in controlling government spending were points of contention for Democrats.
The nomination of Vought raised concerns that he would advocate for further freezing federal funding and reducing federal government jobs. Amid a funding freeze initiated by the Trump administration, Democrats on the Senate Budget Committee staged a boycott of a vote aimed at advancing his nomination. Vought has also promoted baseless claims of election fraud in the 2020 presidential election, even asserting during his confirmation process that the election was illegitimate. When questioned by the Senate Budget Committee in a written questionnaire about whether Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Vought controversially responded, “I believe that the 2020 election was rigged.”
