Research | The Leader Board | THE NEWSROOM | Republican LeaderSkip 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 McCONNELL×Close THE NEWSROOMRemarks Press Releases The Leader Board Op-Eds Videos SENATE RESOURCESRepublican Senators Committees Congressional Record Congress.gov Senate Floor Webcast ABOUT LEADER McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUFacebookTwitterInstagramFacebookTwitterInstagramVisit Senator McConnell's 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 McCONNELLxxsearchxMENUHomeTHE NEWSROOMThe Leader Board01.31.25Senate Republicans Are Quickly Confirming President Trump’s CabinetDespite Democrat Delays, the Senate is Confirming Nominees at a Faster Pace Than 2017 and Double the Pace of 2021 DEMOCRATS MADE THEIR STRATEGY CLEAR: “CREATE FIREWORKS” AND SLOW NOMINEES “EVEN IF THEY ARE DESTINED FOR CONFIRMATION”First, Democrat leaders outlined their strategy: “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is privately pressing his senators to create fireworks when they question President-elect Trump's nominees in the coming weeks…” (Axios: Scoop: Schumer's plan to fire back at MAGA nominees – 1/8/25)Then, they put their plan into action: Democrats have “shown that they are willing to use procedural tactics to slow other nominees even if they are destined for confirmation, including forcing time-consuming floor votes on action that is usually done by mutual agreement.” (The New York Times: Democrats Slow G.O.P. Rush to Confirm Trump Nominees – 1/22/25)Democrats are even stonewalling bipartisan nominations; there have been 10 Cabinet nominees who have been voted favorably out of committee with bipartisan support. (The New York Times: Democrats Slow G.O.P. Rush to Confirm Trump Nominees – 1/22/25; Politico: Senate panel advances Bessent nomination – 1/21/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: DOT Nominee Sean Duffy Clears Commerce Committee Unanimously – 1/22/25; Politico: Energy committee sends Trump's Interior, Energy cabinet picks to full Senate – 1/23/25; Politico: Zeldin clears EPW committee on path to EPA confirmation – 1/23/25; Punchbowl News’ Andrew Desiderio: Tweet – 1/20/25; The Hill: Ratcliffe moves closer to CIA chief confirmation – 1/20/25; U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: Chairman Moran Votes to Advance Congressman Doug Collins’ Nomination to be VA Secretary – 1/23/25; The Hill: Senate panel advances Noem nomination for Homeland Security secretary – 1/20/25; U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Risch Statement on Nomination of Representative Stefanik Prior to Floor Vote – 1/30/25)“With Democrats throwing up every available roadblock, there are a few procedural hoops that Thune and his fellow Republicans will need to jump through…” (Politico Playbook: Playbook: Donny does Davos – 1/23/25)But even as Democrats have been “slowing the push” to confirm President Trump’s Cabinet nominees, Republicans have been continuing to get President Trump’s Cabinet in place. (The New York Times: Democrats Slow G.O.P. Rush to Confirm Trump Nominees – 1/22/25; Roll Call: Senate GOP plows through Trump nominations as House GOP huddles at Trump club – 1/27/25)DESPITE DEMOCRAT DELAYS, THE SENATE HAS CONFIRMED MORE CABINET NOMINEES IN 2025 THAN AT THIS POINT IN 2017 AND 2021The Senate has confirmed eight Cabinet or Cabinet-level nominees, which is ahead of 2017 and double the pace at this point in 2021. (United States Senate: Donald J. Trump Cabinet Nominations – accessed 1/31/25; PN51: Roll Call Vote #33 – 1/24/17; PN43: Roll Call Vote #32 – 1/23/17; United States Senate: Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Cabinet Nominations – accessed 1/31/25; PN78-10: Roll Call Vote #3 – 1/20/21)Marco Rubio was confirmed as secretary of state 99-0. (PN11-13: Roll Call Vote #8 – 1/20/25)John Ratcliffe was confirmed as CIA director 74-25. (PN11-19: Roll Call Vote #13 – 1/23/25)Pete Hegseth was confirmed as secretary of defense 51-50. (PN11-7: Roll Call Vote #15 – 1/24/25)Kristi Noem was confirmed as secretary of homeland security 59-34. (PN11-11: Roll Call Vote #17 – 1/25/25)Scott Bessent was confirmed as secretary of treasury 68-29. (PN11-1: Roll Call Vote #19 – 1/27/25)Sean Duffy was confirmed as secretary of transportation 77-22. (PN11-6: Roll Call Vote #21 – 1/28/25)Lee Zeldin was confirmed as EPA administrator 56-42. (PN11-23: Roll Call Vote #24 – 1/29/25)Doug Burgum was confirmed as secretary of interior 79-18. (PN11-3: Roll Call Vote #26 – 1/30/25)(Click here to download)REPUBLICANS WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO GET PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CABINET IN PLACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE“[L]ike the president, I too want to make sure that we are moving aggressively on getting his noms in place so they can implement his agenda.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)“We will be in the Senate voting as long as it takes. How long it takes in the Senate is up to the Democrats to decide.” – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)“If Senate Democrats want to do this the hard way, so be it. We’re going to get President Trump’s team confirmed.” – Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)“@POTUS has selected well-qualified and accomplished nominees. He deserves to have his team in place.” – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va)“The nation deserves a president empowered to do the job they elected him to do. That requires his team everywhere right now. Let’s get it done.” – Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)PrintEmailTweetPreviousTHE NEWSROOMSENATE RESOURCESABOUT LEADER McCONNELLFacebookTwitterInstagram
