WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Russell Vought as White House budget director on Thursday night, putting an official who has planned the zealous expansion of President Donald Trump’s power into one of the most influential positions in the federal government.

The Senate confirmed Russell Vought to return as head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after having helmed the agency during the latter half of President Trump’s first term. All 53 Republicans backed Vought as OMB director, while every Democrat (47) opposed Trump’s nominee.

Democrats protested Vought’s nomination overnight Wednesday on the Senate floor, with several referring to him as Trump’s “most dangerous nominee.”

Donald Trump's plans to remake American government center on one man and one agency: Russ Vought and the Office of Management and Budget. Vought, Trump's nominee to lead the agency, is "starting to upend Washington," said The Washington Post.

The fiscal conservative returns to the post he held in Trump’s first administration.

Trump has named several people tied to Project 2025 to his administration, even after he disavowed the extreme policy agenda.

The Republican-led U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's nominee Russell Vought as budget director on Thursday, placing the reins of government funding in the hands of hardline conservative who has advocated for reducing Congress's power over taxpayer dollars.

Democrats call Russell Vought the president's "most dangerous nominee", but Republicans say he will "stop the waste of US taxpayers' dollars".