President-elect Trump is urgently testing the will of Senate Republicans, saying he will push for controversial figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to join his Cabinet. At the same time, he is seeking support from Republican lawmakers. Give him more power by relaxing his vacation schedule.
His dual demands essentially demand loyalty from Republican senators not only to support his most divisive appointments but also to relinquish their overall power over the vetting process. And he is doing it at a time when his political power is at its peak.
“There will be some testing done there,” said Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), who is leaving the Senate to become Indiana governor in January. “In general, I think the candidates are sending a message that they are going to change the system.”
It would be understandable for Republicans to feel a bit of whiplash, especially given that President Trump continues to offer more controversial candidates than the next.
On Tuesday night, he said he would nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, a choice many expected given his relative lack of experience. There were hardly any.
The next day, President Trump formally announced his nomination of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to be Secretary of State, a less controversial choice that some Republican senators expressed relief. I might have let out a sigh.
Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, President Trump announced that former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who had raised eyebrows in the past for comments that seemed to align with reports in Russian state media, was on national intelligence. He was selected as the chief of the chief minister's office.
Minutes later, he announced he would outdo himself and nominate his predecessor, Gates. Under investigationHe was nominated by the House Ethics Committee to become attorney general over issues including sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. The Florida congressman who helped oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from office is controversial among members of both parties.
Not to be outdone, President Trump on Thursday nominated Kennedy, an anti-vaccine skeptic, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. This also came as a surprise, as many observers thought RFK Jr. would receive a position within the Trump administration that would not require Senate confirmation.
The choice has criticized some Senate Republicans to varying degrees. But they also signal that Mr. Trump is committed to fulfilling what he sees as an obligation from voters, and some members want to make sure that Mr. Trump follows through on that promise. is recognized.
“The president campaigned on being a disruptor. We're not going to do things the way they used to be. [2017] I think with some of his nominees, he was in a position where he had to make decisions more quickly and he didn't have time to think about it,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-Va.). ) said. of Republican leadership. “I think he's making some quick decisions right now, but he knows what he wants with these guys.”
“If you ask me if I think this is a power play, I don't think so,” she continued. “I think he’s doing what he set out to do.”
The pressure testing such will among Senate Republicans was President Trump's sudden call for the ability to push through nominees through recess appointments, catching Republicans off guard on Sunday.
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) is open to the idea, even though he is a vocal proponent of a quick and expedited confirmation process for the president-elect's Cabinet picks. He suggested that, but did not fully commit.
But many Republicans are also throwing cold water at the idea. Sen. Kevin Cramer (D), an ardent supporter of President Trump, told reporters that senators should not submit candidates without the support of the 51 senators, rather than subject them to efforts to gain confirmation. He said he should be especially wary of the idea of electing a Crawled by the Democratic Party.
Senators are also generally unhappy with the idea of avoiding an advice and consent role for nominations. This is an important role that lawmakers take pride in, especially as parliamentary fights over bills that are not guaranteed to pass have all but disappeared.
But some lawmakers still see merit in Trump's efforts, especially when it comes to cabinet appointments.
“Donald Trump is the world's greatest test balloonist,” Cramer said, noting that Trump's first administration allowed Cabinet members to disagree with each other in public. ” he said. “It always baffles people. I always loved it because he was testing, and [the nominations] That may be the case. ”
“For the most part, Donald Trump thinks all of these people are having heart attacks,” he added. “He wants a destroyer. He said so. He ran as a destroyer. He was elected a destroyer.”
But it remains to be seen how Thune will handle some of these nominees, especially in a manner such as Gaetz's, as multiple Republicans have already effectively deemed Thune's choice invalid upon arrival. If it follows in just over 24 hours, big questions remain.
Thune has promised to expedite confirmation of the Trump administration's cabinet nominees, but his test for leadership is already difficult as he seeks to appease not only party members but also the president-elect who helped the administration win big. You may be in a similar situation. party.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R.S.D.) said, “Anytime you're a leader… there has to be a learning experience, and I think he'll address that.” “He does a good job and is a good speaker.
“He's going to have to work his way through threading the needle, so to speak,” he said. “We all know that.”
