He also had to get nominees through McConnell’s 52 seat Senate. A Senate with John McCain, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski (not to mention Burr, Portman, etc.).
Then he had to get nominees through a 51 seat Senate after a Democrat won Jeff Sessions’ seat.
When solving problems, I have always kept two things in mind, KISS and start from the basics. Keep It Simple for the Stupid people, and insure that every document has an original signature. In this case, the problem is the difficulty of getting nominee for a major post through the Turtle. The simple solution is, don't give in to evil.
NOTHING in our Constitution says we MUST have a Senate confirmed nominee. So go with what you have, the acting agency head. Bring him in, vet him, if he hasn't or won't kiss the ring, fired on the spot. The next senior guy, by law, is now the the acting agency head. Repeat as needed, you may have to get 10 firings, maybe 100, but one will eventually find a senior member of the agency who has both read the Constitution and takes his oath seriously. Problem solved. Don't dive down rabbit holes and fall for misdirection, do what a man has to do. Do it at one agency they xerox as required at others.... I fail to see why there is a fuss over a non-problem. Screw the rich man's club, aka the Senate.