Russell Vought ducked the question during a Senate hearing while saying Schedule F is “not a tool to fire individuals.”

For the many people considered enemies by President Donald Trump, his return to the White House has sparked anxiety about how much power he has to upend their lives.

Calif., questioned Russell Vought, President Trump's nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, about whether or not he would "politicize" disaster relief funds during his confirmation hearing.

Russell Vought, President Trump’s nominee to be director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), testified Wednesday before the Senate Budget Committee. Below is his opening statement: You can watch the ongoing hearing live,

Did you know that Truthout is a nonprofit and independently funded by readers like you? If you value what we do, please support our work with a donation.

Senate hearings for Trump’s Cabinet nominees progress this week, with Russell Vought (OMB) and Brooke Rollins (Agriculture) set for January 22 and 23. Other nominees, like Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Tulsi Gabbard,

If confirmed, Mr. Vought will be at the center of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to upend the federal bureaucracy.

Vought was OMB director during Trump’s first term. He already had a hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Trump began his second term with a series of executive actions. The 47th US president ordered a crackdown on immigration and withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization.

Russell Vought, Project 2025 mastermind and Trump’s nominee for the Office of Management and Budget, had quite a testy confirmation hearing.

Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee praised President Donald Trump’s pick, Russell Vought, to lead the Office of Management and Budget. “I