Luján Calls Out Trump Administration Chaos and Confusion, Exposes Threat of Budget Office Nomination

Vought as Budget Director Would Fuel Chaos and Confusion of Trump Administration Efforts to Withhold Approved Federal Funding, Hurt New Mexico Families

WATCH HERE: Senator Luján Warns How Russell Vought Would Hurt New Mexicans

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of Senate Committee on the Budget, was joined by Budget Committee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), along with Budget Committee Democrats, to call out the threat of Russell Vought’s nomination to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Russell Vought would add to the Trump administration’s unprecedented chaos and confusion. Reporting shows that he worked behind the scenes to orchestrate the halt to all federal funding including grants and loans, upending trillions of dollars and creating cruel and unnecessary chaos for child care centers, firefighters, domestic violence shelters, law enforcement, health care providers, seniors and veterans, and American families.

“This week, the Trump administration created chaos and confusion across New Mexico with the threat of withholding vital federal funding to every community in America. Russell Vought has not been confirmed, and yet, his fingerprints are all over the Trump administration’s unlawful and dangerous funding freeze. Mr. Vought wrote Project 2025 and now we are seeing the playbook in action,” said Senator Luján. “I’ve heard from New Mexicans in all corners of the state worried about how the chaos and confusion of this administration will impact their daily life. Mr. Vought will only fuel this mayhem and devastate the lives of New Mexico families.”

“Given the chaos and confusion of this week, I am disappointed that Budget Committee Republicans did not delay this vote,” continued Senator Luján. “The American people deserve answers – not more confusion.”

Through Senator Luján’s role on the Senate Committee on the Budget, he has expressed his concerns regarding the nomination of Russell Vought to be OMB Director. During the nomination hearing for Russell Vought, Senator Luján called out the nominee’s clear record of proposing drastic cuts to vital programs for pregnant mothers, babies, and early childhood education. Senator Luján also urged the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget to postpone the nomination of Russell Vought.

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