'You're not a tap dancer!' Evasive Trump official pummeled at explosive hearing

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) accused White House budget director Russ Vought of dodging repeated questions about whether USAID funding cuts have killed people.

The clash unfolded at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing this week, where Vought, who leads the Office of Management and Budget, testified on the agency's budget.

A Lancet study published in 2025 projected that U.S. Agency for International Development funding cuts could lead to more than 14 million additional deaths worldwide by 2030, including 4.5 million children under five, if the cuts continue.

"My question is, do you believe people died because of the cuts to USAID? It's simple — yes or no?" Pocan asked.

"I do not believe that the administration —" Vought began.

"You don't believe anyone's died!" Pocan shouted.

"$13.4 million for civic engagement —" Vought said.

"The program ended abruptly because of cuts to USAID. Two weeks later, one of the twins died. I've got a bunch more. Are you familiar with any of these stories?" the Democrat asked. "Are you familiar? It's a yes or no!"

"I'm familiar —" Vought dodged.

"Don't dance! You're not a tap dancer!" Pocan exclaimed. "Are you familiar with the stories? It's really that simple."

"I am familiar with the press that you are citing — the reports that you are also referring to," Vought snapped.

"You're clearly not gonna answer questions today," Pocan concluded.

The exchange turned to Vought's writing on Christian nationalism.

"It's morally wrong to facilitate the death of children," Pocan said.

"We're not doing that!" Vought shot back.

"That's why I'm asking you to reach out to folks," the lawmaker explained. "But what I'm saying is, if that is a quote from the Bible — and I know you are a Christian nationalist by declaration, by articles —"

"It's two years in a row that you've used that slander —" Vought interrupted.

"It's not slander!" Pocan shouted. "You think that's slander? Do you think calling someone a Christian nationalist isn't — You wrote an article, 'Is There Anything Actually Wrong With Christian Nationalism?' And now you're saying it's slander? That's really odd."

"It's pejorative, and it's the second year you've done it," the Trump official griped.