Vought’s confirmation was achieved through a narrow party-line vote of 53-47. As the voting took place with all Senate members present, Democrats sought to express their opposition to Vought’s appointment by giving speeches during their “no” votes, but they faced interruptions from Florida Senator Ashley Moody, a Republican presiding over the session, who enforced Senate rules prohibiting debate during votes.
The vote followed a strategic effort by Democrats to delay Vought’s nomination, during which they occupied the Senate floor with discussions over the course of the previous night and day. They expressed concerns about Vought, referring to him as Trump’s “most dangerous nominee.” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer articulated the party’s feelings in a speech, denouncing Vought’s nomination as a “triple-header of disaster for hardworking Americans.”
Vought’s return to the Office of Management and Budget, a position he previously held during Trump’s initial term, grants him significant authority in shaping the administration’s policies and budget. The OMB is crucial in coordinating the White House’s fiscal strategies, policy initiatives, and regulations. Vought has been a pivotal player in shaping Trump’s vision for federal governance, as one of the architects behind Project 2025, a comprehensive plan for Trump’s prospective second term.
The budget office’s impact is already felt in federal finance, as it had briefly issued a mandate to halt federal spending, causing widespread alarm among educational institutions, states, and nonprofit organizations, before retracting the memo due to impending legal scrutiny.
Within the Senate, Republican members have largely rallied to support Vought’s nomination, asserting that his perspective is essential for reducing federal expenditure and regulation. Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized this week the importance of Vought’s confirmation to address critical economic concerns of excessive spending and government regulation.
Vought’s approach to conservatism is characterized by his strong advocacy for strict policy objectives. Following his departure from the Trump administration, he established the Center for Renewing America, which aligns with several Washington think tanks aimed at promoting Trump’s “Make America Great Again” principles. From this vantage point, Vought advised congressional Republicans to engage in aggressive tactics to minimize federal funding.
In a publication by the Heritage Foundation concerning Project 2025, Vought articulated the significance of the OMB and described the role of the budget director as “the best, most comprehensive approximation of the President’s mind.”
Furthermore, Vought likened the OMB to “a President’s air-traffic control system,” advocating for its integral role in all policy-making decisions at the White House, asserting that it should be “powerful enough to override implementing agencies’ bureaucracies.”
During his first term, Vought championed efforts to reclassify a significant number of federal employees as political appointees, which could potentially facilitate widespread job terminations. He has also endorsed the president’s use of “impoundment” to enhance executive oversight over federal funds. This theory suggests that while Congress allocates budgetary funds, the president has the authority under Article II of the Constitution to withhold expenditure on programs he finds unnecessary.
Throughout his confirmation process, Vought emphasized his commitment to adhere to the law; however, he sidestepped inquiries from Democrats regarding whether he intended to withhold congressionally approved support for Ukraine. Democrats interpreted his evasiveness as an implication that Vought perceives the president as above the law.
When questioned by Republican senators, Vought did outline potential budgetary measures aimed at trimming discretionary social program funding. “The president campaigned on fiscal accountability and addressing inflation,” he stated.
Vought has also openly backed the idea of “Christian nationalism,” a concept gaining traction within the Republican Party asserting that the U.S. was founded as a Christian entity and advocating for greater Christian influence in governance. In a 2021 op-ed, he defined Christian nationalism as encompassing “a commitment to an institutional separation between church and state, but not the separation of Christianity from its influence on government and society.”
