Biden initially tapped Tanden, who previously was president of the powerful liberal think tank Center for American Progress, to serve as his White House budget chief last November. But Senate Republicans quickly lined up against Tanden’s nomination, citing her history of combative tweets targeting GOP politicians and policies.
Tanden, a close ally of Hillary Clinton, also encountered opposition from some members of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing due to her critical comments about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), chair of the Senate committee charged with overseeing her confirmation.
Ultimately, after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced he would not back Tanden for the role of OMB director, she withdrew her nomination, cementing Biden’s first defeat in the battle to confirm his Cabinet picks.
Some of Tanden’s supporters argued that her struggle to win Senate approval was marked by sexism toward female nominees and nominees of color, as well as rank hypocrisy by Republican lawmakers who had previously brushed aside insensitive and sometimes racist tweets by former President Donald Trump.
Shalanda Young — a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee who is popular among both Democrats and Republicans — went on to win confirmation to serve as deputy OMB director in March, and she has been leading the agency in an acting capacity since then.
Meanwhile, the White House announced in May that Tanden had been appointed as a senior adviser to Biden.