President Trump's pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget faced a tough grilling from Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday.

Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget, promised to help American taxpayers while undergoing a contentious confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Russell Vought, Project 2025 mastermind and Trump’s nominee for the Office of Management and Budget, had quite a testy confirmation hearing.

Speaker Mike Johnson said he doesn't "question" Trump's decision to pardon more than thousand people convicted in connection to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including some violent offenders. "The president's made his decision, I don't second guess those," Johnson said at a news conference alongside House Republican leadership.

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Project 2025 contributing author Russell Vought is slated to resume his prior role of Office of Management and Budget director.

Donald Trump's choice to oversee the federal budget, Russell Vought, defended the U.S. president-elect's goal of cutting spending by refusing to spend money that Congress has already authorized at a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.

Russell Vought, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget, poses for a photo with Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

"And yes, you know, it's kind of my ethos, my worldview, we believe in redemption, we believe in second chances," Johnson said. "If you could -- would argue that those people didn't pay a heavy penalty having been incarcerated and all of that, that's up to you."

President Donald Trump's pick for the Office of Management and Budget director was condemned Thursday by Democratic Senate leadership, whereas his Interior and Energy secretary nominees got approval recommendations from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee.

Even before he takes the reins at the White House budget office, Russell Vought has started trying ... s capital and shaped some of President Donald Trump’s earliest policy directives ...