Russell Vought
Russell Vought assumed office on February 7, 2025.
As Director of OMB, Vought leads the implementation and enforcement of presidential policy across the federal government. His office serves as the central authority for review of federal executive branch regulations, including those impacting reproductive rights. OMB is also responsible for drafting the President’s Budget, making funding decisions related to government programs that directly impact reproductive rights and access to care including Title X, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, United Nations Population Fund, etc. As such, Vought is able to fast-track regulations that restrict reproductive health care and create a President’s Budget that includes harmful restrictions.
Top Red Flags
- Co-author of Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation blueprint for a second Trump term, which advocates for numerous anti-abortion measures. Vought’s chapter in Project 2025 focused on expanding and transforming the Executive Office of the President and advocated for abolishing its Gender Policy Counsel (GPC), in order to “eliminate central promotion of abortion and comprehensive sexuality education.”
- Does not believe in abortion exceptions for rape, incest or life of the pregnant person. YouTube.
- Founded a conservative think tank, Center for Renewing America (“CRA”), which is vocal about its anti-abortion stance on social media, interview appearances, and other public forums. The Center for Renewing America.
Statements
- “Defending life is the most important issue to me” From X.
- “Congress should not rely on the courts to outlaw [abortion] at the federal level. It’s not birth control, its [sic] abortion, and it’s clearly in the wheel house of Congress to protect innocent lives & keep the FDA from doubling down on twenty years of bad policy” From X.
- He stated that he felt “empowered to push pro-life policies,” including “the effort to bar the co-location of Planned Parenthood facilities,” and getting out of the “business of federal funding of fetal tissue research.” From an Interview of Vought on EWTN Pro-Life Weekly.
- “The United States is no longer funding international abortion propaganda” (referring to the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule). From the National ProLife Summit.
Publications
- Co-authored Project 2025, and in his section he calls for abolishing the GPC in order to “eliminate central promotion of abortion and comprehensive sexuality education.” Project 2025 also calls for:
- A national ban on medication abortion by urging the FDA to reverse its approval of mifepristone and misoprostol.
- The criminalization of mailing of medication abortion pills via misuse of the Comstock Act.
- The expansion of “conscience laws” which allow providers to deny patients care based on their personal beliefs.
- A federal mandate for state reporting on abortion data, including the state of residence of the person receiving abortion care and the reason they sought care.
- Denying federal funding to states that seek to expand abortion access.
- In a Newsweek article, Vought called for cuts to “large swaths of the federal bureaucracy that are actively working against the interests of the vast majority of the American people.” Vought also stated that the “weaponized FBI” is persecuting anti-abortion activists.
- In a publication for his think tank, he stated that “families of the West are not having enough babies for their societies to endure” claiming this is one of “most pressing long-term problems facing the country.”
Extremist Connections
- Founded the Center for Renewing America, a conservative and vocally anti-abortion think tank.
- Donated to the Senate Conservatives Fund in February 2015. This group “seeks to bring bold conservative leadership to Washington by supporting candidates who will fight for the timeless conservative principle[] of . . . traditional family values.” Its website states: “Protect Life: Americans should not be forced to fund activities they find morally objectionable. Our candidates oppose taxpayer funding for abortion.”
- Served as Vice President of Heritage Action for America, a conservative, anti-abortion advocacy organization. Heritage Action, which has affiliates throughout the United States, is a sister organization of The Heritage Foundation.
