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Fate of Trump's Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate
Los Angeles Times ^ | December 25, 2024 12:44 p.m. PT | Mary Clare Jalonick

Posted on 12/25/2024 2:46:03 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

WASHINGTON — The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard’s 2017 meeting with then-President Bashar Assad of Syria.

While some GOP senators have indicated they are all-in on Trump’s picks, others have for now withheld support, especially on some of his more controversial nominees. The dynamic is injecting uncertainty into the process as Republicans prepare to take the Senate majority in January with a four-seat margin and as Trump aggressively challenges them to confirm his Cabinet immediately.

It’s not unusual for senators to wait until after confirmation hearings to publicly announce a decision. But Republicans are under more pressure than usual as Trump and his allies make clear that they will confront senators who don’t fall in line.

“You only have control of the Senate because of Donald Trump,” the president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr., warned during a media appearance this month. “Without that, you’d be relegated to insignificance.”

There has been one casualty of the process so far — former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who withdrew from contention as attorney general after senators relayed private concerns. But Trump has enthusiastically stood by the rest, including Kennedy for secretary of Health and Human Services, Hegseth for secretary of Defense and Gabbard for director of national intelligence.

With hearings starting by mid-January, before Trump is even inaugurated, senators will soon have to decide how closely they will scrutinize the nominees and whether they are willing to vote against any of them. Republicans will have a 53-47 majority, so Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any nomination if Democrats are united in opposition.

The outcome of the confirmation...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
KEYWORDS: chickenlittle; concerntrolls; enemieslist; enemyjournalist; epluribusrino; latimessedition; maryclarejalonick; nevertrumpingtroll
...Republicans are under more pressure than usual as Trump and his allies make clear that they will confront senators who don’t fall in line.

The Democrats are always in lockstep. It's time for the Stupid Party to do the same.

1 posted on 12/25/2024 2:46:03 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Like the House, the Senate gets ready to prove they too are incapable of governing.


2 posted on 12/25/2024 2:48:14 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The circus is coming to town. 🤡


3 posted on 12/25/2024 2:52:24 PM PST by The Louiswu (Merry Christmas Everyone!!!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Trump against everyone again ?


4 posted on 12/25/2024 2:54:40 PM PST by butlerweave
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To: All

Worth noting the Democrats do NOT always vote in lockstep.

We would have lost the ability to stop things with the filibuster were it not for Krysten Sinema and Joe Manchin making it clear they would not support efforts to end all filibusters.


5 posted on 12/25/2024 3:02:02 PM PST by Owen
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

It’s now down to finding out what they want in return


6 posted on 12/25/2024 3:05:46 PM PST by bigbob (Yes. We ARE going back!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Their fate will become clearer as the Senate faces the reality that the American people are committed to MAGA/MAHA principles and this is not a fad, but a decades long movement.

The sooner they face reality the safer and more productive their power will be.


7 posted on 12/25/2024 3:23:37 PM PST by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: Owen

True.
Sometimes even Democrats do the right thing.


8 posted on 12/25/2024 3:26:45 PM PST by hoosierham (Freedom isnt free)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The President does not HAVE to have a cabinet. The President can issue direct orders to the agencies in the executive branch. He is the Commander in Chief and senior officers of the U.S. military must obey his orders.


9 posted on 12/25/2024 4:43:57 PM PST by Gnome1949
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To: Gnome1949

“The President does not HAVE to have a cabinet. The President can issue direct orders to the agencies in the executive branch. He is the Commander in Chief and senior officers of the U.S. military must obey his orders.”

If that is the case, just mint a bunch of czars. Czars do not require Senate confirmation.

The czars can prepare orders for Trump to sign and report back to the president any obstacles within the departments.

Department employees will obey the president and his appointed czars - or else.


10 posted on 12/25/2024 4:52:48 PM PST by jeffersondem
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

They need to have mass hearings with 10 cabinet nominees at a time so they can move them through at a fast pace.


11 posted on 12/25/2024 5:09:49 PM PST by McGavin999 ( A sense of humor is a sign of intelligence, leftists have no sense of humor, therefore……)
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To: Owen

Manchin and Sinema are no longer democrats. Our turncoats should learn when to quit


12 posted on 12/25/2024 5:15:03 PM PST by map
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Personally, I wouldn’t be too disturbed if Dr Oz was rejected...


13 posted on 12/25/2024 5:22:00 PM PST by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The LA Slimes is wishing again.


14 posted on 12/25/2024 6:00:24 PM PST by Redleg Duke (“Time to Play Cowboys and Snowflakes!”)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Oh, dear lord! Just give DC’s location coordinates to Putin’s launch team and let them have at it while Trump and a few decent GOP members are out of town.


15 posted on 12/25/2024 6:00:40 PM PST by CatOwner (Don't expect anyone, even conservatives, to have your back when the SHTF in 2021 and beyond.)
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To: Owen

“We would have lost the ability to stop things with the filibuster were it not for Krysten Sinema and Joe Manchin making it clear they would not support efforts to end all filibusters.”

Neither Sinema or Manchin will be serving in the next Senate. It is hard to envision any of the remaining Democrats not voting in lockstep.


16 posted on 12/25/2024 7:27:56 PM PST by Soul of the South (The past is gone and cannot be changed. Tomorrow can be a better day if we work on it.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If your against Trump then you are a traitor and a Democrat. Everyone of them should be thrown out !


17 posted on 12/26/2024 3:55:21 AM PST by spincaster (i)
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To: Redleg Duke

The LA Slimes makes it sound like Trump’s nominees would have sailed through, unopposed, if the dims still held the Senate.

EC


18 posted on 12/26/2024 6:07:58 AM PST by Ex-Con777
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I expect McConnell to torpedo a couple of the nominees. He’s retiring in 2026 and can’t be pressured.


19 posted on 12/26/2024 11:24:55 AM PST by damper99
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To: damper99

I expect McTurtle to retire to China where he can be closer to his owners.


20 posted on 12/26/2024 11:29:51 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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