Is Russell Vought Still Married? Bio: Family, Wife, Kids, Net Worth

Who is Russell Vought?

Russell Vought, whose real name is Russell Thurlow Vought, was born March 26, 1976, and is now 49 years old. He is an American government official and conservative political analyst who currently serves as the 44th director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) since February 2025. He previously served as OMB director in the first Trump administration from 2020 to 2021 and as deputy director from 2018 to 2020.

Born in Illinois and raised in Trumbull, Connecticut, Russell is the founder of the Center for Renewing America, a think tank focused on promoting Christian values in government. He played a significant role in Project 2025, an initiative led by the Heritage Foundation aimed at reshaping the federal government. He describes himself as a Christian nationalist and graduated from evangelical Wheaton College in 1998.

Russ Vought is known for his controversial political views, including proposals to use military force against protesters, defund federal agencies, and replace civil servants with political loyalists.

Where is Russell Vought from?

Russell Vought was born in Illinois on March 26, 1976. He was raised in Trumbull, Connecticut, by his father Thurlow Bunyea Vought, an electrician and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and his mother Margaret Flowers Vought, an elementary school teacher.

His last name Vought has German roots, and he is of White (European) ethnic background. He accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 4 and grew up in a Christian household that shaped his religious and political worldview.

Is Russell Vought still married?

No, Russell Vought is no longer married. He divorced his wife Mary Grace Vought (née MacLean) in August 2023. Mary filed for divorce on August 4, 2023, and it was finalized on August 30 in Arlington County, Virginia. They had been married for many years before the separation.

Image – Russell Vought, is pictured with his now ex-wife, Mary Vought, and their two children, Ella and Porter, back in 2019, many moons before their divorce.

Who is Russell Vought wife?

Russell Vought’s ex-wife is Mary Grace Vought, whose maiden name was MacLean. She was born on November 27 and is from Anchorage, Alaska. Mary is a Congressional staffer and disability advocate who has worked in conservative politics throughout her career.

Mary’s employment history includes:

• Vice President, Strategic Communications at Heritage Foundation (April 2024-present)
• Executive Director at Senate Conservatives Fund (May 2019-present)
• Senior Communications Adviser for Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) (October 2012-April 2013)
• Communications Director for Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) (January 2011-October 2012)
• Deputy Communications Director at House Republican Conference under Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) (January 2009-January 2011)
• Communications Director for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) (June 2008-January 2009)
• Press Secretary for Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ) (June 2007-June 2008)
• Executive Assistant for Rep. John Campbell (R-CA) (December 2005-June 2007)

Mary also founded Vought Strategies, where she served as president from April 2013 to June 2024. She is active in conservative circles and continues her work in strategic communications.

Read Also: Is Jim Farley Still Married? Bio: Family, Kids, Wife, Net Worth

Who are Russell Vought children?

Russell Vought has two daughters with his ex-wife Mary Grace Vought:

• Ella Vought – One of his two daughters
• Porter Vought – His daughter who has cystic fibrosis and takes a medication called Trikafta, which has been the subject of news reports. The medication received funding from a government agency.

Russell’s experience with his daughter’s medical condition has made his ex-wife Mary a disability advocate. The family’s personal connection to healthcare issues adds complexity to Russell’s political views on government programs.

Where did Russell Vought go to college?

Russell Vought earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, in 1998. Wheaton College is an evangelical Christian school that played a significant role in shaping his religious worldview.

He later earned a Juris Doctor (JD) from George Washington University Law School in 2004. This legal education prepared him for his career in government policy and conservative activism.

What religion is Russell Vought?

Russell Vought is a practicing Christian and self-described Christian nationalist. He is an outspoken conservative Christian who has consistently stated that his faith is a core part of his life and governing philosophy.

Key aspects of his religious identity include:

• Accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 4
• Graduate of evangelical Wheaton College
• Believes in institutional separation of church and state but not the separation of Christian influence from government and society
• Advocates for infusing government and society with Christian values
• States he wants to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God”

During his 2017 confirmation hearing for OMB deputy director, Russell was questioned by Senator Bernie Sanders about a blog post where he wrote that Muslims “do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.”

Russell defended this statement as a reflection of his Christian principles, stating that the centrality of Jesus Christ is a key tenet of his faith. Various Christian organizations denounced Sanders’s questioning as a violation of the No Religious Test Clause.

What is Russell Vought ancestry and family tree?

Russell Vought comes from a White (European) family with German roots:

• Father: Thurlow Bunyea Vought – Electrician and U.S. Marine Corps veteran
• Mother: Margaret Flowers Vought – Elementary school teacher
• Ex-Wife: Mary Grace Vought (née MacLean) – Congressional staffer and disability advocate from Anchorage, Alaska

Children:

• Ella Vought (daughter)
• Porter Vought (daughter with cystic fibrosis)

His last name Vought has German origins, reflecting his European ancestry. He was raised in Trumbull, Connecticut, in a middle-class family where both parents worked, with his father having military service background.

Who are Russell Vought parents?

Russell Vought’s parents are:

Thurlow Bunyea Vought: His father, who worked as an electrician and served as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. His military service and working-class background influenced Russell’s upbringing.

Margaret Flowers Vought: His mother, who worked as an elementary school teacher. Her career in education shaped the family’s values around learning and faith.

Both parents are of European descent and raised Russell in Trumbull, Connecticut, where they instilled Christian values from an early age. Russell accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 4, showing the strong religious influence his parents had on his life.

Read Also: Candace Owens Husband: Inside the very quiet life of George Farmer

Why did Russell Vought get divorced?

Russell Vought’s ex-wife Mary Grace Vought filed for divorce on August 4, 2023, and it was finalized on August 30, 2023, in Arlington County, Virginia. The specific reasons for the divorce have not been publicly disclosed, and both Russell and Mary have kept the details of their separation private.

The divorce came during a busy period in Russell’s career as he was leading the Center for Renewing America and playing a major role in Project 2025. Mary filed for the divorce, suggesting she initiated the separation, but neither party has made public statements explaining why their marriage ended.

Where does Russell Vought live?

Following his current position as Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump administration, Russ Vought moved to the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, where he currently lives. His divorce was finalized in Arlington County, Virginia, in August 2023, suggesting he had been living in the Virginia/D.C. area.

How tall is Russell Vought?

Russell Vought stands at 5 feet 8 inches tall, which is approximately 172 cm. He weighs around 65 kg, or about 143 lbs. He has dark brown eyes, black hair, and pale skin color.

What did Russell Vought write in Project 2025?

Russell Vought played a major role in creating Project 2025, a collection of conservative policy proposals from The Heritage Foundation aimed at reshaping the United States federal government. The Center for Renewing America, the organization Russell founded, was listed as a member of the Project 2025 advisory board.

Key elements Russell contributed to Project 2025 include:

• Proposals to reclassify tens of thousands of merit-based federal civil service workers as political appointees to replace them with Trump loyalists
• Plans outlined in the 920-page Mandate for Project 2025 published in April 2023
• Creating “shadow” agencies to prepare for implementation
• Drafting over 350 executive orders, regulations, and memos for a second Trump administration
• Proposals to ban pornography and make pornography websites legally liable if used by minors
• Plans to use military force against protesters if deemed necessary
• Strategies to defund agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency
• Initiatives to cast civil servants as obstructive to conservative agendas
• Goals to put the federal workforce “in trauma” so they don’t want to go to work “because they are increasingly viewed as the villains”

In a secretly recorded August 2024 interview, Russell stated that his work involves creating “shadow” agencies and summed up his core political ideology as “Christian nationalism.”

What is Russell Vought career timeline?

Russell Vought’s career timeline spans over two decades in conservative politics and government:

Early Career:

• Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Phil Gramm
• Policy Director for Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives
• Executive Director and Budget Director of Republican Study Committee
• Vice President of Heritage Action (lobbying arm of Heritage Foundation)

First Trump Administration (2018-2021):

• Deputy Director of Office of Management and Budget (March 14, 2018 – July 22, 2020)
• Acting OMB Director (January 2, 2019 – July 22, 2020)
• Permanent OMB Director (July 22, 2020 – January 20, 2021)
• Appointed to Board of Visitors of U.S. Naval Academy (December 2020)

Between Trump Administrations (2021-2025):

• Founded Center for Renewing America (January 2021)
• Founded American Restoration Action (advocacy arm)
• Major role in creating Project 2025
• Named Policy Director of Republican National Committee platform committee (May 2024)

Second Trump Administration (2025-Present):

• Confirmed as OMB Director (February 6, 2025)
• Sworn in as OMB Director (February 7, 2025)
• Acting Director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (February 7, 2025)
• Acting Administrator of U.S. Agency for International Development (August 29, 2025)

Board Memberships:

• Member of Commission on the Future of Mobility (February 2021-Present)
• Member of Business Roundtable (October 2020-Present)
• Member of U.S. China Business Council Board of Directors (October 2020-Present)

What are Russell Vought controversial political views?

Russell Vought holds several controversial political views that have drawn significant criticism:

On Federal Employees:

• Wants to put federal workforce “in trauma” so they don’t want to go to work
• Views civil servants as “villains” who obstruct conservative agendas
• Proposes replacing tens of thousands of merit-based civil servants with political loyalists
• Characterizes federal bureaucracy as “woke and weaponized”

On Use of Military Force:

• Believes president is not bound by Posse Comitatus Act, which prevents federal troops from conducting civilian law enforcement
• Proposes using military force against protesters if deemed necessary
• Plans to deploy military to quell riots in the U.S.

On Government Agencies:

• Wants to “gut the FBI”
• Proposes ending political independence of Justice Department
• Plans to defund Environmental Protection Agency
• Wants to eliminate Department of Education
• Seeks to shut down agency in to prevent them from functioning

On 2020 Election:

• Insists 2020 election was rigged
• Calls Trump supporters who attacked U.S. Capitol on January 6 “patriots” and “political prisoners”
• Refused to testify to Congress about freezing Ukraine aid during first impeachment

On Immigration:

• Supports deporting millions of immigrants
• Secretly suggested conservatives should discuss prioritizing Christian immigrants over those of other religions

On Social Issues:

• Supports total ban on abortion
• Wants to ban pornography
• Opposes all things “woke” and transgender treatments
• Calls Democratic Party “increasingly evil” for supporting secularism

On Presidential Power:

• Advocates for consolidating executive power
• Believes president should have control over federal bureaucracy
• Used OMB to freeze Ukraine security assistance illegally, leading to Trump’s first impeachment

Read Also: Ghislaine Maxwell Husband: Inside the very private life of Scott Borgerson

What are Russell Vought Christian nationalism views?

Russell Vought openly describes himself as a Christian nationalist and believes his core political ideology is “Christian nationalism.” His views include:

On Christianity and Government:

• Believes in “institutional separation between church and state, but not the separation of Christianity from its influence on government and society”
• Seeks to infuse government and society with Christian values
• Wants to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God”
• Invokes religious texts and imagery to support policy goals
• Says God put him here “for such a time as this” to save America

On Other Religions:

• Wrote that Muslims “do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned”
• Suggested in secret recording that conservatives should discuss prioritizing Christian immigrants over those of other religions
• Does not support Muslims building mosques in U.S. cities

On Christian Values in Policy:

• Uses Center for Renewing America to work “For God. For Country. For Community.”
• Believes Trump is “God’s gift” to America
• Says Trump was elected to restore the nation’s Christian calling “as a nation under God”
• Describes himself as Trump’s “holy warrior”
• Sees his work as fulfilling a divine mission

On Radical Constitutionalism:

• Advocates for “radical constitutionalism” to reverse what he calls a “post-Constitutional time”
• Blames a century of corruption by the political left
• Wants to replace federal bureaucracy with “radical constitutionalists”

On Cultural Issues:

• Opposes abortion, pornography, all things “woke” and transgender treatments
• Supports home-schooling families and religious liberty, but primarily for Christians
• Views current government as a “corrupt Marxist vanguard”

How much money does Russell Vought make?

Russell Vought’s income comes from multiple sources:

As OMB Director: He earns a salary of $250,600 per year, which is the Executive Schedule (ES) Level I salary for cabinet-level officials.

Center for Renewing America: He makes money through his leadership of this organization, though the specific amount is not publicly disclosed.

Project 2025: His involvement in this initiative likely provides additional income.

Speaking Engagements and Consulting: He earns money through speaking at conservative events and consulting work.

Based on his government salary alone, Russell makes over $250k per year. His total annual income from all sources is likely higher but has not been fully disclosed.

What is Russell Vought net worth?

Russell Vought’s net worth is estimated to be $1.4 million:

Government Salary: Years of service at high-level government positions earning over $250k annually

Private Sector Work: His time at Heritage Foundation and founding Center for Renewing America

Consulting and Speaking: Income from conservative events and strategy consulting

Legal Background: His law degree from George Washington University opened doors to higher-paying positions

While specific figures are not available, Russell’s net worth is estimated to be in the range typical for senior government officials and think tank leaders, likely in the low millions, though this is not confirmed.

Russell Vought’s Career Highlights

• Graduated Wheaton College 1998, George Washington University Law School 2004
• Worked for Senator Phil Gramm as Legislative Assistant
• Executive Director and Budget Director of Republican Study Committee
• Vice President of Heritage Action
• Deputy Director of OMB (March 2018 – July 2020)
• Acting OMB Director (January 2019 – July 2020)
• Permanent OMB Director (July 2020 – January 2021)
• Refused to testify to Congress about Ukraine aid freeze
• Helped illegally freeze Ukraine security assistance, leading to Trump’s first impeachment
• Founded Center for Renewing America (January 2021)
• Major role in creating Project 2025
• Confirmed as OMB Director for second time (February 2025)
• Acting Director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (February 2025)
• Acting Administrator of USAID (August 2025)

Fun Facts About Russell Vought

• He accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 4
• He graduated from evangelical Wheaton College
• He describes himself as Trump’s “Swiss Army Knife” and “holy warrior”
• He was born in Illinois but raised in Connecticut
• His father was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran
• His mother was an elementary school teacher
• He has two daughters, one with cystic fibrosis
• He was appointed to U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors by Trump
• Joe Biden fired him from the Naval board in September 2021
• He sued to prevent his removal from the board but lost
• He believes Trump is “God’s gift” to America
• He wants federal employees to wake up “in trauma” and not want to go to work
• He drafted over 350 executive orders for Trump’s second term
• He describes his work as creating “shadow” agencies
• His divorce was finalized in August 2023

Russell Vought represents a particular strain of American conservatism that combines religious conviction with aggressive political tactics. Starting as a congressional staffer and rising through conservative organizations, he found his calling in using government power to advance Christian nationalist goals.

His experience with his daughter’s medical condition adds a personal dimension to someone whose public persona focuses on dismantling the very government programs that help people like her.

Now back in power as OMB Director, and living in Washington DC, he’s implementing the Project 2025 agenda he helped create, using his position to reshape the federal government according to his vision of Christian nationalism.

Whether viewed as a holy warrior fighting for traditional values or an extremist threatening democratic norms, Russell’s influence on American government and society continues growing as he wields unprecedented power over federal spending and personnel.