Neither is a presidential appointee. Both are career bureaucrats. Trump could cut them out of the picture at any time.
I would think he needs a very aggressive group that will screen those coming into the country including returning Americans for deadly viruses. There will thus be an extra annoying layer added to travel in addition to security screenings by TSA.
Unless this layer already exists in law then there is nothing for Trump to appoint people to. If it does exist then make temporary appointments to spots. He's done this throughout his term.
I imagine in tandem with the above that a strong scientific team will need to be headed up for ongoing rapid test kits.
Again if the position doesn't exist then Trump can't appoint someone to it. Though he could create something like Deputy Chief of Staff for Pandemic Response or something like that. The Chief of Staff and his deputies don't require Senate approval.
I can see why the President needs to make appointments. I can see why he would have justifiable anger.
No doubt. But what appointments is my question. And if they're pandemic-related then isn't now kind of late in the game for staffing up?
> “Neither is a presidential appointee. Both are career bureaucrats. Trump could cut them out of the picture at any time.”
Who would replace them? Wouldn’t POTUS be better served by making appointments to power up the offices of Fauci and Birx? I thought that was the whole point of the discussion. POTUS has his hands tied making appointments he needs.
What appointments he needs is his call. He has the power to create new positions and new cabinet officers. But he needs the Senate to confirm appointments.
McConnell is holding back because Obama tried to recess appoint a SCOTUS Justice for Scalia, Merrick Garland. That would have been a disaster so McConnell kept the Senate in pro forma session. He’s doing the same now to appear fair and consistent.
But POTUS has a constitutional power to pull rank over McConnell and his pro forma play.