President Trump intends to nominate Russ Vought, acting White House Office of Management and Budget director, to lead the office.
Vought joined the administration as acting chief in January 2019, before which he spent seven years as the vice president of the conservative policy group Heritage Action for America, the political wing of the conservative think-tank the Heritage Foundation.
As acting OMB chief, he oversaw day-to-day operations while OMB director Mick Mulvaney took on the role of Trump’s chief of staff. Earlier this month, Trump replaced Mulvaney as chief of staff with Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, a close ally, who is expected to transition into the role over the coming weeks. Mulvaney will become U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.
Vought will need to be confirmed to the new role by the Republican-controlled Senate.
Trump’s new budget chief began his career working for then-Texas Senate Republican Phil Gramm as a legislative assistant, spending 12 years on Capitol Hill, including at the House Republican Conference under then-Rep. Mike Pence. Later, Vought led the influential Republican Study Committee.
Heritage Foundation president Kay C. James applauded the decision in a statement Wednesday, praising Vought for having “pioneered new forms of grassroots activism” while with the group, and for his policy work at the White House.
“Since joining OMB, Russ has overseen the delivery of four of the most conservative presidential budgets to date,” James said. “He has been an integral part of an administration that has fought fearlessly for life and liberty.”
