Ep 120: OMB Director Russ Vought on the Big Beautiful Bill, Making DOGE Permanent & the Looming Battle over Impoundment

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Jul 22, 2025

Russ Vought, former Director of the OMB and mastermind behind Trump's fiscal policies, shares insights on pivotal budget reforms. He dives into the implications of the Big Beautiful Bill and its impact on mandatory spending, while advocating for permanent DOGE cuts through strategic impoundment. Vought critiques the CBO's scoring methods and emphasizes the need for legislative innovation. He also warns of increasing bureaucratic power and the historical context of the Impoundment Act, making a case for restoring presidential authority and accountability in government spending.

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INSIGHT

Impoundment Control Act Limits Presidency

The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 limited presidential authority to withhold spending despite appropriations.
This act shifted significant power toward unelected bureaucrats and Congress over the executive branch.

INSIGHT

Faster Government Workforce Cuts

Extensive civil service protections make firing misaligned federal workers slow and difficult.
Using categorical reductions in force and at-will policy positions allows faster workforce realignment under this administration.

ADVICE

Restore Merit in Civil Service

Aim to raise federal employee standards by adding merit-based hiring and testing.
Pursue reforms that improve accountability and management aligned with presidential control.

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We're joined this week by a key architect of President Trump's budget and regulatory agenda: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. How much does the Big Beautiful Bill actually rein in spending? Will DOGE cuts become permanent? What is the Impoundment Act of 1974 and why will this be a crucial fight in the coming months?

We discuss these timely policy issues and more with the "radical constitutionalist" at the helm of Trump's OMB in his first and second terms. From ending critical race theory at all federal agencies to spearheading historic deregulatory actions and making bureaucrats accountable again, Director Vought has been instrumental in some of the most consequential policy battles in Washington D.C.

In this episode, we begin with his efforts to reform the administrative state, and why the next major battle will center on the 1974 Impoundment Act and the President's authority over appropriated funds. Learn why Democrats' retaliation against President Nixon tipped the balance of power toward unelected bureaucrats, and how Director Vought seeks to restore proper constitutional balance. Next, we dive into the Big Beautiful Bill and why he believes it's the most consequential mandatory spending reform to ever pass into law. And when it comes to discretionary spending, he reiterates his commitment to make the DOGE cuts permanent and outlines possible strategies, whether through impoundment or a rescissions packages via Congress. Finally, we talk about his role in winding down one of the most egregious examples of government overreach — the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — and why Americans should be optimistic that, for the first time in decades, real fiscal and regulatory restraint is starting to take hold in Washington D.C.

00:00 Episode intro

01:43 Role of OMB Director & lessons from Trump’s first term

04:37 The looming battle over impoundment & Presidential power

07:25 Can we return merit & tests to government?

12:12 Big Beautiful Bill - how much does it actually cut?

19:41 What's the future of DOGE?

22:03 Dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

25:10 Can Washington DC actually be reined in?

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