Trump Names Russ Vought to Replace Elon Musk as DOGE Director in Post-Elon Era
President Donald Trump has appointed Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to lead the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), following Elon Musk’s departure from the role.
Vought will continue DOGE’s mission of negotiating spending cuts with Congress and advancing the administration’s proposed 2025 budget.
Elon Musk recently announced plans to leave his federal position and return full-time to managing Tesla, the electric vehicle company he founded.
Last month, Trump acknowledged Musk’s transition during a cabinet meeting, telling advisors and reporters that Musk was “invited to stay as long as you want—at some point he wants to get back home to his cars.”
Russ Vought Sparks Controversy with Defense Budget Plan
Vought has already drawn fierce criticism from national security hawks in both the U.S. House and Senate.
His insistence that military appropriations be made through budget reconciliation, rather than the annual budget process, has put him at odds with key defense leaders.
READ: Elon Musk’s DOGE Drops Fraud Bombshell: 100,000 Federal Employees Illegally Claimed Unemployment Benefits
His $892.6 billion defense spending offer has clashed with figures like U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other senior Republicans pushing for higher funding levels.
Vought’s appointment aligns with House Republicans’ broader plan to slash federal spending in support of major tax cuts championed by President Trump.
Over the weekend, House Republicans unveiled a budget blueprint cutting federal spending by $912 billion.
Following the budget’s passage, Trump may pursue the “authority to impound funds” — a move advocated by Vought — which would allow the president to refuse to spend congressional appropriations.
A senior OMB official close to Vought told reporters that impounding funds has not been taken “off the table.”
Democrats have condemned the Trump administration’s use of DOGE to enact sweeping spending reductions, labeling the moves as authoritarian overreach.
They point to the effective dismantling of USAID and the Department of Education as evidence of efforts to bypass congressional oversight.
Regulatory Rollbacks and Civil Service Reform
DOGE is expected to escalate its regulatory rollback campaign in the coming months. A February 19 executive order instructs agency heads to eliminate “unlawful regulations” under their authority.
Vought is also expected to revisit Schedule F, an executive order Trump signed in 2020 to eliminate job protections for thousands of federal employees.
Although blocked by the Biden administration, Trump has vowed to revive the initiative, stating his goal to “restore accountability to the career civil service.”
READ: Elon Musk’s DOGE Issues Massive Update on Government Scam, Saves $105 Billion