Trump’s Budget Chief Moves to Authorize His Political Appointees to Make Spending Decisions

The decision gives Vought greater leverage to keep on track subordinates who could otherwise slow-walk or block policies at the department and agency levels.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Office of Management and Budget director, Russell Vought, testifies before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

WASHINGTON—Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought—the Trump administration’s top official in charge of implementing its policy across the federal bureaucracy—is delegating spending decision authority to his top political appointees, known as program associate directors.

“This delegation supersedes any previous delegation of such authority and will remain in place until revised or revoked. The Program Associate Directors may re-delegate this authority as necessary in writing. This delegation does not limit the authority of the Director to exercise the delegated authority,” Vought wrote in a Feb. 11 memorandum made available to The Epoch Times.