Russell Vought, President Trump’s top budget official and a leading figure behind the controversial Project 2025 agenda, is set to succeed Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the billionaire tech mogul is stepping down from his government role, making way for Vought, who has already been quietly shaping many of DOGE’s policies from behind the scenes.This transition marks a significant shift in how the federal government is managed under Trump’s second term. Musk, who has overseen the department since January 2025, was tasked with executing deep budget cuts and rolling back federal regulations. His approach drew praise from fiscal conservatives but also sparked mass protests and agency shutdowns. Now, Vought, already director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), will assume full responsibility for pushing those reforms further.
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With plans to categorize national employees, improve broad restructuring efforts, and encourage Congress to approve President Trump’s$ 9.3 billion rescissions package, Vought intends to concrete Musk’s extreme cost-cutting legacy. This item targets organizations that Trump and his friends have long criticized, including the State Department, USAID, NPR, and PBS. Vought, a steadfast supporter of shrinking government, is expected to revive and increase Schedule F, an executive order that allows the president to revoke job protections for thousands of governmental employees. Trump signed the order at the beginning of his second word, only to have the Biden administration block it. The scheme was reinstated in February, making it a key component of Vought’s plan to overhaul the national workforce. Liberals and some Republicans have been alarmed by Vought’s fall, though. He is a controversial figure because of his involvement in Project 2025, a right-wing plan manifesto intended as a blueprint for the deregulation of crucial federal agencies. The report calls for the Department of Homeland Security’s closure, Medicare and Social Security saving cuts, and other drastic changes. Trump made an effort to distance himself from the report during the battle of 2024, but his rely on Vought suggests that it complies with its fundamental principles. Yet within Republican ranks, Vought’s approach to martial spending has sparked resistance. He has argued that any increases just occur through the peace process rather than the monthly budget, properly capsizing defense financing at its current$ 892.6 billion. According to WSJ, this has put him in conflict with congressional Democrats who were hoping for bigger rises and defense minister Pete Hegseth. The lack of quality has sparked concern among lawmakers despite the Pentagon’s claim that military money will continue to rise. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi went so far as to criticise Vought’s group of “doing crazy math” in their budget proposals. Even so, Vought is on the verge of becoming one of the most prominent appointed figures in Washington with Trump’s support.
Russell Vought: Who is He?
- Served as the Office of Management and Budget’s producer under both Trump administrations.
- Co-author of Project 2025, which proposes restructuring whole sections and slashing national plans.
- supports restricting government development and vocally opposes regulation “bloat.”
- known for promoting resources healing in order to control spending increases, especially in the defense sector.
- Architect of Schedule F, whose goal is to replace socially devoted personnel with long-term federal workers.
- may take over Expand operations following Elon Musk’s departure, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
