On attainable GOP votes in opposition to Trump nominees, Thune says no

Washington — Senate Majority Chief John Thune mentioned Friday that he would not imagine there may be “readability” but on whether or not all 53 Republican senators will assist President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for his second administration. 

In an interview with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Thune, who took cost of the Senate on Friday with the beginning of the 119th Congress, was requested whether or not he is aware of a few of his GOP colleagues will vote in opposition to confirming Pete Hegseth for protection secretary or Kash Patel for director of the FBI.

“We do not have, at this level I do not suppose, readability on that,” Thune mentioned. “I feel these are nominees who’re new sufficient, they have been going round and conducting their conferences, which I feel, frankly, have gone very nicely, however they nonetheless should make their case in entrance of the committee. And, , we do not know all of the details about a few of these nominees. I feel we all know so much about them, however they deserve a good course of, and that is what we have dedicated to and promised and and I count on to ship on.” 

Thune famous that Republicans have a three-vote margin within the Senate and mentioned every particular person senator will determine learn how to vote on Trump’s picks.

“I do suppose that generally, a minimum of most of our Republican senators are inclined to provide the president the those who he desires in these positions, given, , the method that they undergo and whether or not or not they’ll handle the committee course of and be certain that they get to the ground for a vote,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, Thune predicted that “a number of them will get by way of, and we’ll see about all of them.”

“I feel that is why now we have the method, and we’ll adhere to that course of and provides all of those nominees a possibility to make their case,” he mentioned.

Thune is taking on because the Senate majority chief and head of the chamber’s Republican convention, a place he secured in November following the final election. The South Dakota senator succeeds Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving social gathering chief in Senate historical past, on the helm of the GOP.

With the 119th Congress formally underway, one in every of Thune’s first duties as majority chief shall be overseeing the affirmation course of for Trump’s anticipated nominees to key authorities positions. A few of the president-elect’s picks, resembling Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state and Rep. Elise Stefanik as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, are anticipated to simply win Senate approval.

However others, like Hegseth and Patel, face a much less clear path. Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who served as a Democrat within the Home, can be anticipated to return underneath shut scrutiny by senators as they contemplate whether or not to affirm her for director of nationwide intelligence, as is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who’s Trump’s decide to guide the Division of Well being and Human Providers.

Hegseth was on Capitol Hill final month working to shore up assist from Republican senators following accusations of sexual misconduct, monetary mismanagement of veterans’ charities and extreme consuming. Hegseth, a former Fox New host and Military veteran, has denied any wrongdoing.

Patel, in the meantime, is a Trump ally whose choice to guide the FBI has raised issues that he would weaponize the company to focus on the president-elect’s opponents. Gabbard doesn’t have expertise within the subject of intelligence and has confronted criticism for her positions on Russia’s conflict with Ukraine and U.S. involvement in Syria’s civil conflict.

Kennedy is prone to face questions on his previous claims about vaccines and statements about their confirmed advantages and security. 

Patel, Gabbard and Kennedy have been additionally on Capitol Hill assembly privately with senators earlier than the vacations.  

Many of the Senate committees that may conduct affirmation hearings for Trump’s anticipated nominees haven’t but set dates for the proceedings. Hegseth is about to look earlier than the Senate Armed Providers Committee for his affirmation listening to Jan. 14, chairman Roger Wicker introduced final month. FBI background checks may additionally decelerate the method. 

Background checks are usually solely shared with committee leaders and never the complete panel, however some Republicans and Democrats have been pushing for entry for the FBI’s report on Hegseth, in line with Politico.

Requested whether or not he would encourage entry to these background checks for senators, Thune mentioned “certain,” including, “I feel that you simply wish to have as a lot background as attainable that’s obtainable to the committees as they make their choices.”

However the president-elect has urged the GOP-led chamber to maneuver swiftly, particularly following the New 12 months’s Day terrorist assault in New Orleans that left a minimum of 14 folks useless.

Thune, too, mentioned earlier this week that the rampage on Bourbon Avenue underscores the necessity for the Senate to behave shortly to substantiate Trump’s nominees.

“The risk posed by ISIS will outlast this administration, and it is a clear instance of why the Senate should get President Trump’s nationwide safety group in place as shortly as attainable,” he wrote on X.