The 119th Congress is just around the corner, and confirmation battles featuring President-elect Trump's list of nominees are likely to be the focus of attention.
Two candidates have already withdrawn since President Trump rapidly expanded his options: former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) for attorney general and Chad Chronister for head of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
But many of his remaining nominations have been controversial, with Republicans poised for further missteps as their nominees storm the U.S. Capitol and potentially storm the full Senate as they approach confirmation hearings. I think I want to avoid it.
Here are the top 5 confirmed battles to watch.
Tulsi Gabbard
Tulsi Gabbard faces perhaps the toughest confirmation battle of anyone posed by the president-elect.
Gabbard, a former four-term Democratic senator from Hawaii, has faced skepticism from some in the Senate Republican conference for a variety of reasons. Chief among them are her past statements that appear to reflect Moscow's talking points regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, her 2017 meeting with now-exiled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, and her He was a long-serving Democrat.
Adding to the problem, she was unable to impress several Senate Republicans at a meeting on Capitol Hill in December, making it difficult for her to make a good impression if her nomination goes that far. , at least a few Senate Republicans intended to vote against it on the floor.
“She is the person most at risk of not being confirmed,” one Senate Republican aide told The Hill.
“There are things about her that will never change,” the aide continued, pointing specifically to issues in Syria and Russia. “She has policy views that are diametrically opposed to those of the majority of the council.”
Trump's supporters insist she will leave her confirmation hearing in solid shape to get the green light from the Senate.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said of reports that up to eight Senate Republicans were prepared to vote against her: “I haven't heard anything like that.” “There's no 'no' to any of these.” [nominations] These are the people who were told “no” by the Republican Party. ”
“We've had a lot of requests to talk to her, but that's part of the advice and consent,” Mullin added.
pete hegseth
Just a few weeks ago, it appeared that Pete Hegseth's nomination to head the Pentagon was complete, and Trump has an alternative plan in place.
Although his fortunes appear to have changed, the most difficult stage in Hegseth's defense secretaryship may still be yet to come. With his confirmation hearing just around the corner, the same issues that plagued him in December are sure to resurface in public.
The former Fox News host has faced questions surrounding a 2017 sexual assault allegation, his dealings with a veterans group he led, his own drinking, and his career leading a major Pentagon operation. I faced questions such as whether I was qualified to do so. Mr Hegseth denies any wrongdoing.
But Hegseth appears to have the backing of key Senate Republicans, buoyed by the support of Trump's allies and, ultimately, Trump himself. He has met numerous times with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Armed Services Committee and the first female veteran in the Senate, and has since become close friends with him.
“In the middle of last week, it felt like momentum was building against him, and I think that's changed significantly,” Sen. Ted Cruz said. (R-Texas) said on December 11 that “momentum has shifted significantly in Pete's direction.” I think Pete would approve. ”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Gabbard and Hegseth, along with Gaetz's short-lived election, consumed much of the oxygen in December.
But that could change with Kennedy at the top of that list and confirmation hearings for other controversial nominees set to begin soon.
The former independent presidential candidate, who was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has long been a polarizing figure for his views on vaccines.
He remains in good shape going into the new year, with little criticism from Republicans whose fate will depend on him. But the mines remain.
President Kennedy said little to reporters as they entered his meeting with senators, but he made sure to reassure them ahead of their first meeting on December 15 that he fully supported the polio vaccine.
This comes just days after it was reported that President Kennedy ally Aaron Siri had petitioned the government to reconsider the green light for polio vaccination in 2022.
Between the time the report came to light and President Kennedy's comments, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who battled polio as a child, announced that all of President Trump's nominees The government issued a letter asking the government to “avoid” making skeptical comments about the polio vaccine. .
“The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives and kept its promise to eradicate a terrible disease. Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven treatments are not only uninformed, but also uninformed. It’s dangerous,” McConnell said in a statement. “Those seeking the Senate’s consent to serve as the next administration would be wise to avoid even linking themselves to such efforts.”
Kash Patel
Kash Patel, a Trump supporter who was selected to head the FBI, has expressed sharp opposition to the agency.
He has drawn up a list of what he calls “government gangsters,” headed by outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, and says that “in 2024… They should be held accountable and exposed.”
He also declared that he wanted to close the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington and “reopen it the next day as a deep state museum.”
Few, if any, Trump nominees are likely to draw more fierce opposition from Democrats.
But none of that deterred Senate Republicans from talking about Patel's background, including work on the House Intelligence Committee and as a federal prosecutor. Mr Patel has also done himself a favor in recent weeks by impressing members at meetings on the Hill.
“He's doing well in meetings,” said a Senate Republican aide. “He is very well prepared and stressed that he is trying to end bad practices rather than recreating them. He is charismatic and knows his stuff.”
Lori Chavez Delemer
Former Rep. Lori Chavez Delemer (R-Ore.) has a very exclusive position on this list, as she stands a good chance of losing more Republican votes than most of the aforementioned candidates. , but it could gain bipartisan support, as it has for several Democrats. They signaled their readiness to support her recognition.
Chavez Delemer lost his bid for re-election in a toss-up seat, but shortly after was nominated by President Trump to be Secretary of Labor.
But her selection initially came under fire over her support for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO), a priority of Democrats and major labor groups. In fact, she was one of just three House Republicans to co-sponsor the bill, boosting Democratic optimism in the process.
“And as the author of the PRO Act, Rep. Chavez Delemer was a co-sponsor of the bill I co-wrote with Congressman Scott,” Sen. Patty Murray (R-Wash.) tweeted when Delemer was elected. I’m glad it’s there,” he said.
But for now, Republicans are holding their ground and respecting Trump's election. Mullin was the first Senate Republican to meet with her, likening her comments on the PRO Act to Kennedy’s comments on abortion (he is pro-choice).
“She is serving at the pleasure of the president of the United States and intends to advance his policies,” Mullin said. “She will also be confirmed.”
