Majority Leader | Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSR...Skip to primary navigation Skip to content×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNE×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUFacebookXInstagramFacebookXInstagramVisit Leader Thune's South Dakota Site Here THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER THUNExxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board09.18.25Republicans Overcome Democrats’ Obstruction and Confirm 48 of President Trump’s NomineesThanks to Senate Republicans’ Rules Reform, the Senate Confirmed the First Batch of En Bloc Civilian Nominees, Putting the 119th Senate Ahead of the Confirmation Paces of the Biden and First Trump Administrations THIS WEEK, SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRMED 48 CIVILIAN NOMINEES EN BLOC, ALL OF WHOM RECEIVED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IN COMMITTEEBy confirming 48 nominees en bloc, the Senate has now confirmed 188 civilian nominees, far ahead of the pace of the Biden and first Trump administrations. (Senate Majority Leader: President Trump's Senate-Confirmed Nominees – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: 117th Congress Nominees – accessed 9/2/25; U.S. Congress: 115th Congress Nominees – accessed 9/18/25)(Click here to download)“Many of them are slated for under or assistant secretary positions at various departments and agencies. Also included are a half-dozen ambassador nominees, with Kimberly Guilfoyle (Greece) and Callista Gingrich (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) being among the most notable names.” (The Hill: Senate Republicans tee up final vote on 48 Trump nominees after changing rules – 9/17/25)“The nominees listed in the resolution span several departments and agencies. But they all have one thing in common: They were approved with bipartisan support in committee.” (Punchbowl News: Senate GOP to confirm 48 Trump nominees next week – 9/9/25)“The rules change to allow the vote was based on a proposal offered by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Angus King (I-Maine) two years ago, which would have allowed 10 nominees from a specific committee to be bundled together and passed ‘en bloc’ on the floor.” (The Hill: Senate Republicans tee up final vote on 48 Trump nominees after changing rules – 9/17/25)“[Thune] has said the Democrats’ obstruction is ‘unsustainable’ as they have drawn out the confirmation process and infuriated Trump as many positions in his administration have remained unfilled.” (The Associated Press: Senate Republicans take first steps to change rules to speed up Trump’s nominees – 9/11/25)“Democrats have blocked more nominees than ever before as they have struggled to find ways to oppose Trump and the GOP-dominated Congress, and as their voters have pushed them to fight Republicans at every turn.” (The Associated Press: Senate Republicans take first steps to change rules to speed up Trump’s nominees – 9/11/25)Due to Democrats’ historic obstruction, President Trump is still the only president on record not to have a single civilian nominee confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote at this point in his administration. (U.S. Congress: 119th Congress Nominees – accessed 9/18/25; The Daily Caller: EXCLUSIVE: Thune Says Trump Nominees Are Being Confirmed At Rapid Pace Despite ‘Historic’ Obstruction – 6/14/25)Despite this obstruction, Republicans are now on a path to restoring past Senate precedent on swiftly confirming civilian nominees:(Click here to download)REPUBLICANS WILL KEEP WORKING TO CONFIRM PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NOMINEES AND CLEAR THE BACKLOG CAUSED BY DEMOCRATS’ OBSTRUCTIONRepublicans will “tee up the next bloc at the end of the week, as Republicans look to hit the ground running with the new rules.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Congress is barreling toward a shutdown – 9/15/25)Senate Republicans are determined to clear the nominations backlog caused by Democrats’ obstruction and get the Senate working the way it was historically intended to operate:(Click here to download)Confirming the next batch of nominees will more closely align the Senate to its historic precedent of swiftly considering and confirming civilian nominees:(Click here to download)“[B]y restoring Senate precedent on confirmations, we have helped ensure that the Senate is able to fulfill all of its responsibilities. Mr. President, today is the first slate of nominees. There will be more to come. And we’ll ensure that President Trump’s administration is filled at a pace that looks more like those of his predecessors – and that this government can deliver for the American people.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)“Senate Republicans have put an end to Democrats’ historic obstruction of @POTUS’ nominees. President Trump will now get his team in place and the Senate can get back to working for the American people.” – Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)MEANWHILE, DEMOCRATS SEEM DETERMINED TO KEEP OBSTRUCTING BASIC GOVERNANCE AT EVERY TURNDemocrats continued their nominations intransigence today: Despite the fact that every single nominee in the batch received Democrat support in committee, not a single Democrat voted to support the nominees on the floor. (Senate Press Gallery: post on X – 9/18/25; Punchbowl News: AM: The Hill is waiting on Trump – 9/9/25)These positions have also traditionally been confirmed via voice vote in previous administrations:40% of the positions in the first package have not required roll call votes in any of the last three incoming administrations. (U.S. Congress: President Donald Trump Nominations 2025 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Barack Obama Nominations 2009-2012 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Donald Trump Nominations 2017-2020 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Joe Biden Nominations 2021-2024 – accessed 9/18/25)94% of the positions have been confirmed by voice vote at least once in the last three incoming administrations. (U.S. Congress: President Donald Trump Nominations 2025 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Barack Obama Nominations 2009-2012 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Donald Trump Nominations 2017-2020 – accessed 9/18/25; U.S. Congress: President Joe Biden Nominations 2021-2024 – accessed 9/18/25)Last week, Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) forced the Senate to send dozens of nominees back to committee, objecting to procedural practices that senators on both sides regularly use to speed up noncontroversial committee work. (Punchbowl News’ Andrew Desiderio: post on X – 9/9/25)“Nearly every Senate committee authorizes the use of proxy voting and there usually aren’t objections on the Senate floor. But this is another example of Senate Democrats playing hardball and forcing slowdowns.” (Punchbowl News: AM: Congress is barreling toward a shutdown – 9/15/25) “Chuck Schumer and Dems have delayed every single Trump nominee and have even forced our committee to vote on a number of nominees for a second time. The political games end here—our committee has once again passed President Trump’s nominees through to the floor, where I expect swift confirmations as Republicans restore Senate tradition. Let’s get back to work!” – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho)PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER THUNEFacebookXInstagram
