OMB Director Russ Vought to Jay Powell: “Does the Federal Reserve Really Need 24-Hour Omakase?”



by Lorna Blotfarrow / July 11, 2025

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published findings from its audit of the Federal Reserve’s renovation spending following mismanagement accusations against Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The findings implicate Powell in superfluous and misallocated spending. 

On July 10, 2025, Budget Director Russ Vought publicly accused Powell of mishandling government funds dedicated to renovations in three Federal Reserve buildings. Since 2019, inquiries into the Fed’s spiraling renovation costs provoked ire against Powell, though he vehemently denied allegations of superfluousness. Today, the GAO has made findings from their official investigation publicly available, revealing a range of unapproved luxury purchases not included in the Fed’s original renovation budget. The discoveries have provoked colorful commentary from Vought across various social media platforms, and have cast renewed doubt on Powell’s continued tenure. 

Among the more curious luxury items found through the audit, the GAO revealed:
  • $6,000 spent on droves of black paper towels, 
  • $10,000 for ‘extra-long toothpicks’, 
  • $30,000 for a revolving koi fish aquarium in the dining room, 
  • $120,000 for a full-time in-house masseuse and acupuncturist, 
  • $200,000 for a part-time, tactile art therapist, 
  • $70,000 for two rotating in-house comedians, 
  • $50,000 for red carpet installations, 

And a whopping $1,000,000 for a fully staffed, 24-hour Omakase kitchen in the first floor atrium of the Eccles building. 

“Listen, I can forego the masseuse, but the toothpicks stay,” exclaimed a rancorous, fist-clenched Powell in an interview with Piers Morgan. He continued with palpable fervor: “And what’s the problem with the Omakase? After everything I’ve done for this country, I don’t deserve a little sush?”

Director Vought did not hold back in questioning Powell’s expenditure choices on X (formerly known as Twitter). In one Tweet, Vought wrote, “What on God’s earth are extra-long toothpicks??? Are you a monster?? Use the regular ones.” 

President Trump joined in on lambasting Powell on his Truth Social app: “EVERYONE KNOWS OMAKASE IS YESTERDAY. THE FUTURE IS KOREAN BBQ.”

Efforts to oust the Fed Chair have trailed on for months with the President consistently citing Powell’s failure to cut rates as an unshakeable cost for the government. News of the audit presents unprecedented public pressure on Powell, indicating political motives might play an increasingly important role on the Fed in years to come.