Russell Vought

Russell Vought
Russell Vought
42nd Director of the Office of Management and Budget
	In office; July 22, 2020 – January 20, 2021; Acting: January 2, 2019 – July 22, 2020[lower-alpha 1]
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Derek Kan
Preceded by	Mick Mulvaney
Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget
	In office; March 14, 2018 – July 22, 2020
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Robert Gordon
Succeeded by	Derek Kan
Personal details
Born	Russell Thurlow Vought; March 26, 1976
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Mary
Children	2
Education	Wheaton College (BA); George Washington University (JD)

Russell Thurlow Vought (born March 26, 1976) is an American government official who served as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget from July 2020 to January 2021. He was previously Deputy Director of the OMB from 2018 to 2020 and Acting Director from 2019 to 2020.

Education and early career

Vought earned his Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College and his Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School.

Russell Vought being sworn in as Director, in July 2020

Vought worked for Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of the Heritage Foundation.[1][2] He was the executive director and budget director of the Republican Study Committee, the policy director for the Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives, and a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Phil Gramm.[3][4]

Donald Trump administration

Vought was Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the Trump administration from 2018 to 2020. In 2020, he became Director of the OMB.

Office of Management and Budget

In April 2017, President Trump nominated Vought to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He was confirmed by the Senate on February 28, 2018, in a 50–49 vote. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote.[5]

During the confirmation hearings for Vought's nomination to the OMB, Senator Bernie Sanders questioned Vought about a statement that "Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.""[6][7] The Atlantic magazine and various Christian organizations denounced Sanders' questioning as a violation of the No Religious Test Clause.[7][8]

Vought defied subpoenas to testify before Congress in relation to the Trump-Ukraine scandal, in particular the role that Vought may have played in holding up security aid to Ukraine.[9][10]

On January 2, 2019, when OMB Director Mick Mulvaney became Acting White House Chief of Staff, Vought became the acting OMB director, though Mulvaney continued to hold the director position.[11][12]

On March 18, 2020, Trump announced his intent to nominate him to be OMB Director.[13] Vought was confirmed by the Senate on July 20, 2020, by a vote of 51–45;[14] and was sworn in two days later.[15]

In May 2020, Vought broke the OMB's long-standing practice of publishing updated economic forecasts,[10] citing disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.[10]

After Joe Biden won the 2020 election, Vought hindered the Joe Biden administration transition by refusing to allow incoming Biden officials to meet with OMB staff. Experts say that Vought's refusal to give the Biden transition team access to career OMB officials is unprecedented, and will hamper the incoming administration. Typically, career OMB staff would provide an incoming administration with cost estimates and details on existing programs.[16] Vought defended his action, saying the OMB would not help the incoming Biden administration "bankrupt America."[17] Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank referred to him as a "Trump saboteur" who is "sabotaging national security, the pandemic response and the economic recovery."[18]

Private sector (2021–present)

Less than a week after the Trump administration ended, Vought announced, in an op-ed in The Federalist,[19] that he would start two conservative, pro-Trump organizations, the Center for American Restoration and America Restoration Action.[20][21]

Notes

Vought was Acting Director from January 2, 2019 to March 31, 2020, during Mulvaney's term as Acting White House Chief of Staff; Vought continued in that position until being sworn in on July 22, 2020.

References

Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
Edwards, Jane (April 10, 2017). "Russell Vought to Be Nominated OMB Deputy Chief". ExecutiveGov. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
"President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The White House. April 7, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
Graff, Garrett (August 13, 2008). "The Insider: Russell Vought". Washingtonian. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/mike-pence-breaks-another-tie-senate-vote Roll Call. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
"Wheaton College and the Preservation of Theological Clarity". The Resurgent. January 17, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
Camila Domonoske (June 9, 2017). "Is It Hateful To Believe In Hell? Bernie Sanders' Questions Prompt Backlash". NPR. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
Green, Emma (June 8, 2017). "Bernie Sanders's Religious Test for Christians in Public Office". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
Emma, Caitlin. "Senate confirms Russ Vought to be White House budget chief". POLITICO. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
Wilhelm, Colin (December 14, 2018). "Former Heritage Action executive Russell Vought to act as Trump administration budget chief". Washington Examiner. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
Lemire, Jonathan; Colvin, Jill; Lucey, Catherine (December 15, 2018). "Budget Head Mulvaney Picked as Trump's Acting Chief of Staff". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
"President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts". The White House. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
Russell Vought [@RussVought45] (July 23, 2020). "Being sworn in as OMB Director by @realDonaldTrump & @VP was a moment I'll never forget. It's the honor of a lifetime to serve this great country & the American people under their leadership. I also want to thank my family for being at my side & their unwavering love & support" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
Cook, Nancy. "Trump budget chief hampers Biden transition with ban on meetings". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
Kevin Liptak. "Trump budget director accuses Biden team of 'false statements' in latest transition spat". CNN. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
Milbank, Dana. "Meet the Trump saboteur in charge of undermining Biden – and America". The Washington Post.
Vought, Russ (January 26, 2021). "How To Lead The United States Into An American Spring". The Federalist. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
Nichols, Hans; Markay, Lachlan (January 26, 2021). "Scoop: Former OMB director to set up Pro-Trump think tanks". Axios. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
Olsen, Henry (January 28, 2021). "Conservative populism might finally be getting the intellectual heft it needs". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

External links

Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by Brian Deese	Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget 2018–2020	Succeeded by Derek Kan
Preceded by Mick Mulvaney	Director of the Office of Management and Budget 2019–2021 Acting: 2019–2020	Vacant

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[1] Vought was Acting Director from January 2, 2019 to March 31, 2020, during Mulvaney's term as Acting White House Chief of Staff; Vought continued in that position until being sworn in on July 22, 2020.

[2] Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

[3] Edwards, Jane (April 10, 2017). "Russell Vought to Be Nominated OMB Deputy Chief". ExecutiveGov. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

[4] "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts". The White House. April 7, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

[5] Graff, Garrett (August 13, 2008). "The Insider: Russell Vought". Washingtonian. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

[6] ttps://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/mike-pence-breaks-another-tie-senate-vote Roll Call. Retrieved March 1, 2018.

[Resurgent2016-7] "Wheaton College and the Preservation of Theological Clarity". The Resurgent. January 17, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2017.

[NPR2017-8] Camila Domonoske (June 9, 2017). "Is It Hateful To Believe In Hell? Bernie Sanders' Questions Prompt Backlash". NPR. Retrieved June 10, 2017.

[9] Green, Emma (June 8, 2017). "Bernie Sanders's Religious Test for Christians in Public Office". The Atlantic. Retrieved January 30, 2020.

[10] Emma, Caitlin. "Senate confirms Russ Vought to be White House budget chief". POLITICO. Retrieved September 17, 2020.

[:0-11] Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 17, 2020.

[12] Wilhelm, Colin (December 14, 2018). "Former Heritage Action executive Russell Vought to act as Trump administration budget chief". Washington Examiner. Retrieved January 7, 2019.

[13] Lemire, Jonathan; Colvin, Jill; Lucey, Catherine (December 15, 2018). "Budget Head Mulvaney Picked as Trump's Acting Chief of Staff". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved January 7, 2019.

[14] "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts". The White House. Retrieved March 18, 2020.

[15] Kiernan, Paul (July 20, 2020). "Senate Confirms Russell Vought as Head of White House Budget Office". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved July 20, 2020.

[16] Russell Vought [@RussVought45] (July 23, 2020). "Being sworn in as OMB Director by @realDonaldTrump & @VP was a moment I'll never forget. It's the honor of a lifetime to serve this great country & the American people under their leadership. I also want to thank my family for being at my side & their unwavering love & support" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 24, 2020 – via Twitter.

[17] Cook, Nancy. "Trump budget chief hampers Biden transition with ban on meetings". The Detroit News. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

[18] Kevin Liptak. "Trump budget director accuses Biden team of 'false statements' in latest transition spat". CNN. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

[19] Milbank, Dana. "Meet the Trump saboteur in charge of undermining Biden – and America". The Washington Post.

[20] Vought, Russ (January 26, 2021). "How To Lead The United States Into An American Spring". The Federalist. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

[21] Nichols, Hans; Markay, Lachlan (January 26, 2021). "Scoop: Former OMB director to set up Pro-Trump think tanks". Axios. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

[22] Olsen, Henry (January 28, 2021). "Conservative populism might finally be getting the intellectual heft it needs". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 31, 2021.