—Sent a memo to lawmakers requesting that Congress rescind $1.1 billion in federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which contributes money to NPR and PBS. The funding is already appropriated by Congress. Public broadcasters like NPR and PBS have a track record of airing programming that highlights LGBTQ stories, issues, and communities, providing representation and education often not found on commercial networks. The White House memo advocating for the cuts specifically criticized PBS for airing programs featuring transgender characters.
—Key architect of Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative that includes proposals to roll back protections for LGBTQ individuals. This plan advocates for eliminating gender identity as a basis for rights and protections, effectively rejecting any recognition of transgender identities in policy and law. It calls for erasing terms including “abortion,” “reproductive health,” “gender,” and “gender equality” from “every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists.” During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly claimed he “knew nothing about” Project 2025. Vought served as director and acting director of OMB during the first Trump term, and in his chapter of Project 2025 wrote “the President’s budget is in fact a powerful mechanism for setting and enforcing public policy at federal agencies.” More on Project 2025.
—Used derogatory and inflammatory language regarding transgender issues, baselessly referring to transgender health care as “chemical castration,” and denouncing what he calls “transgender sewage” being introduced in schools.
—Framed his opposition to LGBTQ rights within the context of religious freedom. He supports policies that allow individuals and organizations to deny services based on religious beliefs, which critics argue can lead to discrimination against LGBTQ people.
—Has a close affiliation with Christian nationalist William Wolfe, a former Trump administration official who has advocated for overturning same-sex marriage, ending abortion and reducing access to contraceptives.
—Affiliated with the Center for Renewing America, which promotes Christian nationalist ideals and opposes LGBTQ rights as contrary to traditional values.
