Senate confirms Vought to be Trump’s OMB director

The Senate on Monday confirmed Russell Vought to serve as President Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 

Senators voted 51-45 to confirm Vought, who has filled the position since early 2019 in an acting capacity after then-OMB Director Mick Mulvaney became White House chief of staff.

Trump formally nominated Vought to the post in March. But his nomination hung in limbo for months, leading a group of House GOP lawmakers to send a letter urging his confirmation. 

Vought took part in the negotiations last year that resulted in a two-year budget deal. He faced pushback at the time from Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), for proposing splitting the debt ceiling from the budget caps.

He was confirmed by the Senate to serve as Trump’s deputy OMB director in a narrow 50-49 vote in February 2018. Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote for his nomination, which had been complicated by controversial comments he made about Muslims in 2016.

Before joining the Trump administration, Vought served in policy roles on the House Republican Conference and Republican Study Committee. He began his career on Capitol Hill working for then-Texas Republican Sen. Phil Gramm.

Morgan Chalfant contributed.