In the context of a potential second Trump administration, Russ Vought, the former director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and current president of the Center for Renewing America, underscores the department’s crucial role in diminishing the influence of unelected bureaucrats. Vought asserts that bureaucracies, which he claims disregard the needs and will of American citizens, have proliferated without sufficient checks on their power. He highlights the current disconnect between the government, the President, and the people, emphasizing the unaffordably large bureaucratic structure that has grown over the years. Vought believes that with the right strategies, notably through OMB, the administration can reclaim control over federal agencies that stray from the original constitutional mandate.
Considered the nerve center of the federal government, OMB has significant authority to shape and enforce presidential vision across the executive branch. Vought argues that President Trump can leverage this power to curb funding for agencies that operate outside the administration’s agenda. He discusses Trump’s commitment to dismantling what he describes as the “deep state,” referring to entrenched bureaucratic entities that behave independently of elected officials. According to Vought, the OMB has essential tools to manage bureaucratic spending, influence regulations, and apply the President’s directives throughout the government, which would enable the administration to counter overstepping bureaucracies effectively.
Vought speaks to the imperative of adopting a radical constitutional perspective to rapidly and thoroughly address bureaucratic power centers. A focal point of his reform strategy is the eradication of the concept of agency independence, which he believes hinders accountability. He highlights that the Constitution does not endorse the idea of independent agencies, suggesting that entities like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should be held directly accountable to the President. This shift in perspective is particularly crucial for reforming the Department of Justice, which, according to Vought, operates under outdated precedents that afford it autonomy from presidential authority.
The term “deep state,” or “administrative state,” encapsulates the phenomenon of unelected bureaucratic bodies exercising substantial influence, often creating rules and policies beyond the reach of democratic oversight. Vought and his proponents argue that this undermines the principle of separation of powers, effectively establishing a “fourth branch” of government. According to Vought, a reformed OMB would serve as an effective counter to this trend, dismantling the barriers that allow agency independence to flourish, which should include reevaluating how decisions are made regarding federal statistics and other operational aspects of agencies.
Vought’s concerns regarding the administrative state are not unfounded, as recent events demonstrate how unelected officials can exert significant political influence. For instance, he references a covert operation surrounding the Hunter Biden laptop issue, where a letter signed by numerous intelligence officials falsely suggested the laptop was Russian disinformation. This manipulation is emblematic of how bureaucrats can shape narratives and influence public perception without accountability, a trend that Vought aims to address through a reformed OMB and a realignment of agency roles within the executive branch.
Wendell Husebo, a political reporter and former RNC War Room Analyst, underscores the importance of Vought’s views in the current political landscape. Through his insights, it becomes clear that the call for reining in the power of the administrative state is fundamental to restoring a government that is genuinely representative of and responsive to the will of the American people. By taking proactive steps to eliminate the autonomy of bureaucratic agencies and reinforcing a framework of accountability, the second Trump administration could effectively reshape the nature of governance in the United States, aligning it more closely with constitutional principles and public interests.