President-elect Donald Trump has selected Russell Vought, co-author of the conservative policy agenda Project 2025, as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in his second term.
Vought previously served as OMB’s deputy director during Trump’s first term. But his influence extends beyond OMB. He wrote the chapter on the Executive Office of the President in Project 2025, a conservative policy framework developed by The Heritage Foundation, The Hill reports.
“He did an excellent job serving in this role in my First Term – We cut four Regulations for every new Regulation, and it was a Great Success!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Friday. “We will restore fiscal sanity to our Nation.”
Trump praised Vought’s experience in public policy, describing him as an aggressive cost-cutter and deregulator who would help advance the “America First” agenda across federal agencies.
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The president-elect emphasized Vought’s knowledge of dismantling the so-called “Deep State” and restoring self-governance to the American people, alongside a promise to restore fiscal discipline.
In response to the selection, Vought posted on X, “There is unfinished business on behalf of the American people, and it’s an honor of a lifetime to get the call again.”
Project 2025, which includes input from scholars and policy experts, proposes sweeping changes such as reshaping the executive branch and reducing the size and funding of certain government agencies.
While Trump previously distanced himself from Project 2025 during his campaign, citing its controversial elements, his decision to appoint Vought as OMB director signals a strong alignment with its conservative priorities. The project has faced significant backlash from Democrats, who argue it threatens American democratic institutions.
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