An Illinois Christian college deleted a post congratulating Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, a graduate of the school, after facing backlash and later claimed it didn’t mean to be “political.”
Wheaton College deleted a Facebook post saying it “congratulates and prays” for Vought after the Senate confirmed him Thursday to lead OMB for a second time. The school said online comments criticizing Vought prompted the decision to remove the post by Saturday morning – a response that conservatives called “mushy” and “weak.”
“It was not our intention to embroil the College in a political discussion or dispute,” Wheaton said Saturday on Facebook. “Our institutional and theological commitments are clear that the College, as a non-profit institution, does not make political endorsements. Wheaton College’s focus is on Christ and His Kingdom.”
The deleted post said, “Wheaton College congratulates and prays for 1998 graduate Russell Vought regarding his senatorial confirmation to serve as the White House Director of the Office of Management and Budget,” according to the College Fix. Wheaton calls itself an “explicitly Christian” college.
Wheaton admitted in its statement that the post was “something we would typically do for any graduate who reached that level of government.”
“However, the political situation surrounding the appointment led to a significant concern expressed online,” the college continued. Wheaton also told Fox News Digital that the “post led to more than 1,000 hostile comments, primarily incendiary, unchristian comments about Mr. Vought,” so it had become “an ongoing online distraction.”
Left-leaning politicians and activists have labeled Vought a threat to democracy for his involvement in conservative efforts such as Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s policy plan to make unelected government bureaucrats more accountable to the president.
Some alumni of Wheaton College called Vought a “fascist” and complained that the school was wishing him well, Baptist News Global reported.
Wheaton College declined to comment and instead referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to its Saturday social media post when asked to provide clarification on its statements. “I have no further information to share,” a spokesperson for the college said.
“Wheaton is the epitome of the ‘mushy middle,’ the group of spineless evangelicals who believe their ‘nuance’ and ‘winsomeness’ are appropriate replacements for clarity and courage,” conservative Christian commentator Allie Stuckey posted on X. “Absolutely shameful display of cowardice[.]”
Other conservative figures called the school’s response “incredibly weak and embarrassing” and an insult to Christian values.
— Russ Vought (@russvought) February 8, 2025
Vought addressed the controversy Saturday by posting “Sad!” on X. OMB did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for additional comment.
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