ProPublica Reveals Russell Vought as 'Shadow President' Orchestrating Government Dismantling

ProPublica exposed Russell Vought, Trump’s OMB director and Project 2025 architect, as operating as a ‘shadow president’ or ‘second commander-in-chief’ orchestrating the systematic dismantling of federal agencies and expansion of presidential power. Vought led Project 2025’s transition portion, writing 350+ executive orders to consolidate executive authority and put traditionally independent agencies like DOJ under full presidential control. As OMB director confirmed in February 2025, he has slashed foreign aid, paused or canceled over $400 billion in infrastructure and clean energy projects, gutted USAID and CFPB, and is hollowing out the Department of Education. His Project 2025 chapter advocated firing civil servants, ending DOJ independence, and empowering the president to control all government functions—a blueprint now being executed to transform American democracy into authoritarian rule.