White House budget director Russ Vought was photographed sketching a mountain landscape during President Trump’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, offering an unexpected moment from an official who has become one of Washington’s most polarizing figures over federal budget cuts, as reported [1] by the New York Post.
The image, taken by Associated Press photographer Julia Demaree Nikhinson, showed Vought drawing pine trees, rolling mountains, and cumulus clouds during the lengthy meeting.
Beneath a horizontal line on the page, Vought added an upward-pointing arrow. The photograph was taken from over his shoulder as President Trump moved around the room, asking Cabinet officials for updates on their recent actions.
Vought, 49, leads the Office of Management and Budget and has played a key role in the administration’s aggressive cost-cutting agenda.
His work through the Department of Government Efficiency included major reductions in federal workforce levels, the dissolution of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the removal of federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
These actions have drawn significant criticism from Democrats and liberal groups, who have labeled Vought a driving force behind recent federal downsizing.
President Trump has leaned into Vought’s public image.
‘Grim Reaper’ White House budget chief Russ Vought caught doodling unexpected scene during Trump cabinet meeting https://t.co/53MfBgEEzx [2] pic.twitter.com/ntBWxV0Qg7 [3]
— New York Post (@nypost) December 3, 2025 [4]
On Oct. 2, during the 43-day government shutdown, Trump reposted a video created by an online content producer portraying Vought wearing a hood and holding a scythe while roaming through Washington’s bureaucracy.
The video was set to Blue Oyster Cult’s 1976 song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” further solidifying Vought’s “Grim Reaper” nickname among critics.
It remains unclear whether Tuesday’s sketch carried personal meaning or if it was simply a distraction during the extended meeting.
The Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to questions from The Post, including whether Vought has artistic interests or creative ambitions outside his government role.
The Cabinet session marked one of the final high-level meetings of the year for the administration, with agency heads outlining their latest initiatives and ongoing policy work.
Vought’s appearance at the meeting came at a time when he continues to play a central role in implementing spending cuts and structural changes within the federal government.
The doodle, however, provided a rare glimpse into a softer and more unexpected moment from an official typically associated with strict budget enforcement and sweeping government reductions.