Russell Vought set to expand power of White House budget office

While leading the Office of Management and Budget during the first Trump administration, Russell T. Vought took steps to increase the number of federal employees required to work during a government shutdown, froze military aid to Ukraine and denounced “unnecessary spending” such as foreign aid and organizing unions in other countries.

Mr. Vought, whom President-elect Donald J. Trump selected to lead the budget office during his next term, has since developed an even broader view of the role of the White House budget director.

In his writings and speeches, Mr. Vought has made clear that he views this role as an opportunity to significantly shrink the federal government. He wants to eliminate its workforce, claim “impounds” power to allow the executive branch to claw back funding approved by Congress for government agencies and overhaul the so-called administrative state.

Mr. Vought made that argument publicly Wednesday when he testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about his qualifications to lead the budget office again. He made clear he did not believe a law barring the executive branch from recouping money approved by Congress was constitutional, suggesting the Trump administration could seek to seize funds it says were improperly expenses.

During the hearing, Mr. Vought sidestepped a question about whether Mr. Trump would follow the will of Congress, which authorizes federal spending, but made clear that the president-elect intended to test the law.

“No, I don’t believe it’s constitutional,” Mr. Vought said of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which reaffirmed Congress’s power over finances. “The president ran on that basis. This is his point of view and I agree with him.