Tomorrow our friend and colleague Russ Vought (Trump’s pick to run the Office of Management and Budget) goes before the Senate for his confirmation hearing. Vought is exactly what Trump and conservatives need in that chair: a veteran budget hawk who will identify hundreds of billions of dollars of savings.

Yesterday the Washington Post endorsed all but four of Trump’s nominees, opposing only Hegseth, Tulsi, RFK, and…  Russ Vought.

Their opposition to Russ is over his sound argument that the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 – which forces the president to spend every penny appropriated by Congress – is unconstitutional. Prior to 1974, appropriations were ceilings on spending, which is to say that if Congress appropriated $100 million for a bridge but the president could build it for $50 million, he wouldn’t have to spend the rest.

Trump should assert this right to not spend money when it isn’t needed, and see what the courts have to say. Every president from Thomas Jefferson to Richard Nixon exercised this power to save money – and given the existential threat of runaway debt spending, Trump and future presidents should have it too.