Even before Donald Trump appointed Russell Vought, the architect of Project 2025, to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a second time, Vought’s think tank had already been pushing for an ambitious strategy to bypass the US Senate’s confirmation process. Their focus: recess appointments—a constitutional tactic that could allow Trump to sidestep Senate approval of his high-level nominations.
Vought, who served as OMB director during Trump’s first term and launched the Center for Renewing America in 2021, has been vocal in advocating for recess appointments, even as some of Trump’s most controversial picks face scrutiny. Among those nominated are figures such as Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard—individuals who have sparked resistance from certain Republican senators. For example, Matt Gaetz, who had been nominated to head the Department of Justice, withdrew amid calls to release findings from an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.
Despite such resistance, Trump and some of his allies are pushing to trigger the recess appointment process, which allows the president to bypass Senate approval by having the Senate go into recess. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on November 10, Trump urged Republican Senators to agree to a recess, writing, “We need positions filled IMMEDIATELY!”
Vought’s think tank, the Center for Renewing America, has further amplified this push, releasing a 2,274-word policy brief arguing that the recess appointment clause in the U.S. Constitution is “broad and extremely powerful,” granting Trump the authority to utilize it. Vought himself echoed these sentiments in a November 18 interview with Tucker Carlson, stressing that the Trump administration needed to act swiftly, without being bound by traditional processes.
“We have to do things not based on how it has been done recently,” Vought remarked. “He has to stand up an administration quickly, and he’s dealing with an administration that won’t move quickly to install his people.” Vought also rejected concerns about the constitutionality of the move, particularly dismissing criticism from conservative figures like Ed Whelan, who called the recess appointment push “cockamamie.”
Vought’s broader vision, however, extends beyond simple appointments. During the interview, he outlined an agenda for dismantling federal bureaucracy, particularly targeting what he views as “independent agencies.” This reflects Trump’s ongoing campaign promises to reduce government influence and increase executive power. Vought has made it clear that a key focus of the Trump administration would be aggressively confronting what he perceives as left-wing influence in federal agencies, including culture war issues like diversity and inclusion programs.
Vought’s think tank, along with other efforts, has also played a role in shaping the “Project 2025” agenda—a detailed blueprint for Trump’s potential second term. In his chapter of the 900-page document, Vought stresses the “aggressive use of the vast powers of the executive branch” and argues that the OMB should be central to these efforts, overseeing and directly influencing White House policy decisions.
This vision of a more powerful presidency and executive branch aligns with Vought’s broader ideas, which have included advocating for stronger Christian influence in government and promoting an authoritarian approach to governance. His calls to invoke the Insurrection Act to curb protests and his desire to weaken the federal bureaucracy underscore a commitment to consolidating power and undermining institutional checks and balances.
As Trump prepares for a potential second term, Vought’s aggressive stance on executive power, backed by his think tank, could shape how the administration moves forward, especially if they are able to implement the recess appointment strategy to bypass the Senate’s confirmation process. This move, however, may test the limits of both constitutional authority and political feasibility.
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