Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Russell Vought arrives to testify during a hearing of the House Budget Committee about President Trump's budget for Fiscal Year 2021, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Russell Vought has signaled he hopes to slash spending — and push the limits of presidential power to achieve Trump’s agenda.

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.

This is the practice of presidents refusing to spend funds that Congress has appropriated, shifting power to the White House. To take a current example, Mr Trump has issued an executive order putting an “immediate pause” on billions of dollars appropriated under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2021 and a climate law from 2022.

If confirmed again as White House budget director, Russell Vought would likely do more than oversee spending, policy and regulations. Vought, a co-author of Project 2025 who served as budget director in Donald Trump's first term,

If confirmed, Mr. Vought will be at the center of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to upend the federal bureaucracy.

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for White House budget director is declining to commit to doling out congressionally approved funds, specifically U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

President Donald Trump’s pick for budget director faced another series of questions over presidential power to withhold government funding.

Russell Vought, President-elect Donald Trump’s ... an event that led to Trump’s first impeachment.“I will always commit to upholding the law," said Vought, an answer that did not satisfy ...

As director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought plans to implement the most critical parts of the new Trump agenda.

A slate of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees have appeared before senators in recent days for key hearings on their road to confirmation. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was the first to be confirmed, securing the secretary of State position with a unanimous vote on inauguration day.

Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Management and Budget has refused to say Trump will follow the law that forbids him from blocking funds.