The Senate was headed for a confirmation vote Thursday night on Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s nominee for White House budget director, who is planning to use one of the most powerful positions in federal government to zealously expand the president's power.

The Senate confirmed Russell Vought to return as head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) after having helmed the agency during the latter half of President Trump’s first term. All 53 Republicans backed Vought as OMB director, while every Democrat (47) opposed Trump’s nominee.

Mr. Vought, an architect of Project 2025 who served in the first Trump administration, will be at the center of President Trump’s plans to upend the federal bureaucracy.