WASHINGTON – Democrats have been waiting a long time to grill White House Budget Director Russ Vought, who has overseen the Trump administration’s illegal efforts to shutter entire federal agencies, withhold billions of dollars in federal funds appropriated by Congress and generally disregard the Constitution’s separation of powers.
On Wednesday, they finally got their chance.
Vought, whose avoidance of congressional testimony over the past year led Democrats to put his face on a “MISSING” milk carton, was purportedly in front of the House Budget Committee to testify about President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget request. But Democrats took the opportunity to press their numerous grievances against Vought, a key architect of Project 2025.
“I’m glad you are finally here,” grumbled Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). “Throughout your tenure at the Office of Management and Budget, you’ve made the Trump administration’s priorities clear: terrorizing federal employees, ripping health care away from millions of Americans … and illegally withholding money allocated by Congress.”
“This is indeed unacceptable,” Tonko said. “The American people deserve better from you.”
