Trump’s pick for budget head worked on Project 2025 – and wants to bypass the US Senate

Russell Vought led the Office of Management and Budget during Trump's first term and is pushing for a workaround to install president-elect's picks

Even before Donald Trump tapped Project 2025 architect Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a second time, Vought's thinktank had gotten to work in recent weeks lobbying for recess appointments - a means by which Trump could attempt to circumvent the US Senate's confirmation process.

Vought, who served as director of the OMB during Trump's first term and of the thinktank he launched in 2021, is advocating for the archaic method to install Trump's nominees, including Vought himself and some of Trump's most heavily criticized picks.