John Thune, the incumbent Senate majority leader
Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune has made it clear that Senate Republicans are prepared to employ all necessary measures to secure the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointees.
Speaking on Fox News’ Special Report Thursday, the South Dakota Republican emphasized the importance of ensuring Trump’s team is installed swiftly to facilitate his agenda.
“All the options are on the table,” Thune stated, signaling a readiness to counter potential Democratic obstruction.
“We are not going to allow the Democrats to obstruct or block President Trump and the will of the American people.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Republicans have a mandate from the American people to enact change, and our work starts now.<br><br>Joined <a href="https://twitter.com/BretBaier?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BretBaier</a> for a great conversation on my role as the new incoming Senate majority leader. <a href="https://t.co/SCxfWivdsC">pic.twitter.com/SCxfWivdsC</a></p>— Senator John Thune (@SenJohnThune) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnThune/status/1857224488871453181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In recent days, Trump announced a roster of high-profile nominees for key positions, including Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary.
However, some selections have sparked bipartisan criticism, particularly Gaetz, whose nomination as Attorney General has drawn scrutiny due to unresolved allegations from his congressional tenure.
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, questioned Gaetz’s suitability, calling his nomination unexpected.
“We need to have a serious attorney general,” Murkowski remarked, adding that his name was “not on my bingo card.”
Thune also addressed the possibility of using recess appointments, a mechanism that allows the president to fill vacancies while the Senate is in recess. While acknowledging the option, he noted its complexities.
“You have to have all Republicans vote to recess as well,” he explained.
“But I don’t think any of those things are necessarily off the table.”
The Senate leader underscored that nominees deserve due process, emphasizing that the confirmation process would follow constitutional guidelines under “advice and consent.”
Despite anticipated challenges, Thune reiterated the need for swift action, pointing to Trump’s Electoral College and popular vote victories as evidence of a public mandate for change.
“The people in this country want change. He [Trump] wants to bring that about,” Thune said.
He acknowledged the rigorous scrutiny nominees would face, stating, “We get down and scrub all these nominees and figure out whether or not, one, they’re qualified and are they people who are fit to hold these offices.”
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