Russell Vought has been acting OMB director since January 2019. Alex Brandon/AP
Trump Intends to Nominate Russell Vought for Permanent OMB Director
Vought has been the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget since January 2019.
The White House announced late Wednesday afternoon that President Trump intends to nominate acting Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to become the permanent head of the powerful office that plays a key role in shaping administration policy.
Vought has been acting OMB director since January 2019 when Mick Mulvaney left to become the president’s acting chief of staff. Vought previously worked on Capitol Hill and in public policy positions for about 20 years.
As acting director, Vought has pushed for evidence-based policy making, championed the administration’s deregulation agenda and handled the aftermath of the longest government shutdown in history, among other things.
He was also caught up in the impeachment investigation that centered on President Trump’s decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine unless the U.S. ally agreed to investigate his political rival. House Democrats subpoenaed Vought to learn about OMB’s handling of the aid, but he refused to appear. The Government Accountability Office reported in January that OMB violated the law in withholding the aid.
The White House announcement comes one day after OPM Director Dale Cabaniss unexpectedly resigned. In recent days, OMB has taken over the Office of Personnel Management’s duties in issuing personnel guidance memos on teleworking and other protective measures relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Office of Management and Budget declined to comment.