Senate panel advances Trump OMB nominee

Senators advanced the nomination of Russell Vought, who was tapped to be President Trump’s next budget chief, on Monday, as Republicans are ramping up efforts to confirm the president’s nominees. 

The GOP-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 to advance his nomination to serve as the next head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

“Throughout the confirmation process, Russell Vought has demonstrated he knows the challenge ahead of him and President Trump and will not be distracted by partisan attacks or distortions of President Trump’s agenda,” committee Chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said in a statement. 

“I commend the Committee for advancing his nomination to the Senate floor, and I am confident that he will be confirmed quickly,” he added.

However, Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), top Democrat on the committee, did not appear to mince words about Vought clearing the recent hurdle in the confirmation process.

“Throughout his confirmation hearing, Mr. Vought doubled down on his intention to continue disregarding the rule of law if he is confirmed again,” he said in a statement. “As a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve, and again as a member of the U.S. Senate, I swore an oath to uphold and follow our Constitution and the laws of our land.”

“I voted against the nomination of Russell Vought because it is clear that he intends to take illegal actions that violate the very checks and balances on which our democracy is founded,” he said, arguing Vought “regularly flouted the laws passed by Congress to direct how federal resources should be spent” during his previous experience as OMB chief during Trump’s first term.

Democrats also grilled Vought for his ties to Project 2025 and the powers of the executive branch as the panel weighed his nomination last week. 

Vought previously served as head of the OMB under Trump during his first term and has recently garnered attention as a co-author behind a blueprint produced by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that was often the target of Democratic attacks during the 2024 presidential election cycle.

The Senate Budget Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on his nomination Wednesday.

This story was updated at 8:35 p.m.