By The Star Staff
As Puerto Rico struggled to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, a top Trump administration official, Russell Vought, used his position to slow down the release of billions of dollars in disaster aid to the island. Despite widespread power outages and thousands of displaced residents, Vought, who was then the Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), imposed additional hurdles that delayed the release of $16.5 billion in aid.
Now, Vought is set to return to the OMB as its director, pending Senate confirmation. In that role, he would have significant control over federal spending under the Trump administration, which has previously used disaster aid as a political bargaining chip, according to a Politico report.
The news has been met with concern by Puerto Rican activists and advocates, who fear that Vought’s return could mean further delays in the island’s recovery efforts. Erica González Martínez, director of Power 4 Puerto Rico, called the situation a “worst-case scenario,” while Charlotte Gossett Navarro, chief director for Puerto Rico at the Hispanic Federation, expressed concern that the Trump administration’s negative view of Puerto Rico could lead to additional obstacles.
Vought has previously expressed support for expanding the president’s power to override Congress and federal agencies, leading some to worry that he may use his position at the OMB to block disaster aid in the future. A federal investigation and a former Trump White House official have confirmed Vought’s role in delaying aid to Puerto Rico, citing his concerns about corruption and fiscal mismanagement on the island. From 2018 to 2020, Vought slowed the release of $16.5 billion in disaster aid to Puerto Rico by setting up extra hurdles, according to those sources.
The hurdles caused $8.3 billion in aid to be delayed by 4½ months and a separate $8.2 billion allocation to be delayed six months.
The delays in aid have had a significant impact on Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts, and many fear that further delays could hinder the island’s ability to rebuild and recover from future disasters.