Russell Vought

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

ProPublica’s in-depth investigation reveals that Russell Vought, Donald Trump’s former budget director, is the real power inside this White House. Vought is the principal author of Project 2025, a racist and authoritarian blueprint that reshapes government around a single goal: to make America a white Christian nation.

While Trump holds the title of president, it is Vought who drives policy, using the machinery of government to wage war on equality and democracy. ProPublica’s reporting shows that Vought has consolidated power through the Office of Management and Budget, controlling federal spending, freezing funds, and shutting down entire agencies. He has used his position to block aid for the poor, cancel education programs, and dismantle health and environmental protections that serve Black and brown communities.