WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Turning now to another side of Trump's Cabinet, for the Office of Management and Budget, the president-elect has chosen Russell Vought.

Vought previously led that office for part of Trump's first term.

He is also a co-author of Project 2025, the controversial Heritage Foundation blueprint for a second Trump term.

Laura Barron-Lopez joins us now to break down what this pick may signal.

Hi, Laura.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Hi.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Why is this vote nomination significant?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Russell Vought wrote a chapter for Project 2025 that was all about expanding and transforming the executive office of the presidency.

And Vought has made clear through his writings and public statements that he believes President Trump has far more authority to exert his presidential powers and make changes unlike any we have really seen in modern history, William.

And Vought has said that his plans for the president are that he believes the president has the power to slash spending programs without Congress.

He also believes that the president can use the military during civil unrest, and that the president should assert more control over the Justice Department, as well as supporting -- Russell Vought supports stripping federal workers of their protections.

And that last one, William, which would potentially replace tens of thousands of federal workers with political appointees is something that Vought is probably going to be tackling almost immediately if he is confirmed to this position at the Office of Management and Budget.

And Vought is also expected to work closely with Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in those positions that you just mentioned in terms of government efficiency and slashing agencies across the board.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Yes, those are some very striking possible steps for a president to take.

What else has Vought said vis-a-vis his desire to change the scope of presidential power?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Well, Vought believes that, in his role as the head of the Office of Management and Budget, he can go to battle with the agencies to exert this power alongside the president.

And he recently shared his goals for Trump's second administration when he appeared on Tucker Carlson's show.

RUSSELL VOUGHT, Former Director, Office of Management and Budget: We have to solve the woke in the weaponized bureaucracy and have the president take control of the executive branch.

So my belief for anyone who wants to listen is that you have to -- the president has to move executively as fast and as aggressively as possible with a radical constitutional perspective to be able to dismantle that bureaucracy in their power centers.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And when it comes to controlling the Justice Department, William, Vought has said that there is no law dictating that there are independent agencies, essentially saying that the norms of independent agencies like the Justice Department is simply just that, a norm that was established in the Watergate era.

And Vought has said that the whole idea of the Justice Department being independent, as well as some of the other agencies being independent, should be -- quote -- "thrown out."

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: All along during the campaign trail, when Trump was asked about Project 2025, and what do you think about this, and what do you think, he kept saying, I don't know anything about it, it's not me, that's not my campaign.

But he is now tapping other people from that Heritage Foundation project.

Who else is he tapping?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: You're right, William.

The president-elect just tried to say repeatedly he didn't even know the people who wrote it.

But he clearly does, because there are at least six people so far that he has a name to be in his administration who authored chapters or contributed in some way to Project 2025.

That includes Russ Vought.

It also includes Tom Homan, who will be his border czar within the White House, John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA, as well as Brendan Carr, who wrote a chapter for Project 2025.

Trump has named him to lead the Federal Communications Commission.

And some of those people have to be confirmed by the Senate.

Others don't, like Tom Homan.

He does not have to be confirmed at all.

And he, as well as his Vought, has recently made clear a lot of his plans, saying on FOX just this weekend that he believes that Trump should cut federal funding to states that say they are not going to cooperate with their mass deportation plan.

He said that he can guarantee that Trump will do that.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Laura Barron-Lopez, as always, thank you so much.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Thank you.