Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who disagrees with some of President Trump’s Cabinet nominations
By now, it’s widely known that Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration for Attorney General on November 21, 2024 due to allegations of sexual misconduct. If he hadn’t, there most certainly would have been chaos within the Senate, and that’s because one of the main jobs of a US Senator is that they have the power to approve or reject a president's cabinet nominees.
But even with Gaetz out of the picture, Trump still has a few other controversial cabinet nominations, including Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense (who has sexual assault allegations against him and limited governmental experience) and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence (who faced criticism for meeting with Syrian President and foreign adversary, as well as her comments about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine). These nominations are causing some Republican senators to think twice before voting to confirm Trump’s picks.
Several GOP senators have expressed their hesitations towards these nominations; for example, Sen. Kevin Cramer called the sexual assault allegation against Hegseth “pretty concerning”. Congress requires a simple majority from the Senate to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning in order to prevent one of Trump’s picks, all Democratic senators need to oppose the nominee and 4 Republicans would as well. It’s important to note, though, only one time has a nominee been rejected by a Senate vote; this occurred in 1989, when George H.W. Bush nominated John Tower for Secretary of Defense (an excessive drinker and had sexual harassment allegations similar to Hegseth).
Now, there are reasons for Republican senators on the fence to go along with Trump’s nominees, like simply not wanting to be singled out. And for incumbents running again in 2026 especially, they may want to avoid defying Trump. But a handful are considering their own morals and skepticism about these nominees’ personal past and ability to perform their duties, and are willing to maintain their right to have a say, despite Trump suggesting recess appointments (bypassing Senate votes to elect a nominee).
So who are the Republican senators who may vote against some of Trump’s nominations? There’s Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who was so surprised to hear of Hegseth’s nomination that she said, quote, “Wow”. She has disagreed with Trump on a number of issues, being a moderate Republican. There’s also Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a ticket-splitter, who has also defied Trump before, having voted against some of his nominations in the past. She was alarmed by some of the president’s recent nominations as well. Finally, Republican Sen.-elect John Curtis of Utah has often been critical of Trump’s decisions. He’s strongly against recess appointments, believing the Senate should have the final say in confirming or rejecting the president’s cabinet nominees.
While some Republicans might vote "no" for these controversial Trump nominees, the ones up for re-election in two years might choose against this. Senators with decently independent voting records, like Murkowski or Collins, are less afraid of punishment from Trump in a primary, even though there are swirlings of primary battles with Republican senators who rebel against Trump’s picks. Most everybody else, though, will likely attempt to remain in good standing with Trump if they want to win re-election, so we shall see how votes for the confirmations of these controversial cabinet nominees come in in early January.
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15 comments:
While the senators themselves will be the ones who will decide Trump's nominations in January, between now and then is a moderate amount of time (1.5 months). As such, if the news keeps cranking out stories at the pace it's going, public opinion may dramatically shift in favor or in opposition of particular candidates. Furthermore, with Congress currently being a "lame duck" and a recess coming up in December, the public may have more sway over members of Congress as members of Congress will have more opportunities talking and conversing with citizens of their state.
The Republican party is pretty well organized, however, and perhaps the plan they're going to use is to cut back-door deals in order to guarantee these precarious votes -- for example, by promising massive resource mining provisions in Alaska, Senator Murkowski could be swayed to vote for candidates she would otherwise be reluctant to accept.
The people that Trump is trying to nominate to office are shocking to me. It is just going to become normalized for people who have sexual assault and other allegations against them to be able to run for some of the most powerful roles in our country? These positions should be filled by people with large amounts of experience and strong morals, not just whoever the president feels like would be the best for their own interests. This decision is now up to the members of Congress to vote on, and it will be very interesting to see if they allow this corruption to continue further into our government or if they will put a stop to it.
I would be surprised if most of these nominations weren't passed by the Senate given the facts you states along with the history of cabinet nominations. Both history and current politics go against the possibility of Republican senators defying trump and voting no on cabinet confirmations. However, I do think there is a small chance for some of them to be turned down as most if not all his nominations are people that are either controversial, incompetent, or both. Take for example RFK, whom was not in the article, but is an anti-vaxxer conspiracy theorist that has also suggested removing fluoride from the water. With all of this in mind and given that the Republicans did vote against similar figures during George W. Bush's presidency I could see it and I hope I do. If not the country will have a rough few years until either a new presidency begins or they are fired, resign, or are otherwise removed from office as they yes-man all of Trump's poorly planned policy. This could also lead to implementation of project 2025, a terrifying prospect that promises dictator like power for the president and a religious state more controlling then some dictatorships in the world now.
I am glad to see some Republican opposition to some of Trump's nominees. At least in the legislative branch, there is still some integrity. The checks and balances of the government are still operating even in a unified government. I hope that the skeptical Republican senators will oppose these nominations and not prioritize their reelection...although that may be very unlikely considering politicians always want to stay in power.
A part from the fact that nominations like these are even allowed to happen in the first place, this whole situation definitely highlights some very interesting things about government. First off it really shows off the political strategies that incumbents utilize for reelection. I mean I'm not surprised but I do find it very interesting how some of these senators will go against their own beliefs and values in order to keep up a good image and not disagree with Trump in hopes of being reelected. I will say I admire the Republican senators who aren't afraid to speak out against Trump's nominees and openly voice their opinions on them. That also highlights something else interesting about this situation, as it illustrates the divide even among people within the same party. The Republican senators who disagree with Trump's policies yet align under the same party really shows the contradiction and divide within government.
Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominations have sparked hesitations among several Republican senators, particularly moderates. These senators, who have defied Trump in the past, are concerned about the nominees’ backgrounds. While the need for a simple majority in the Senate to approve nominees means Trump’s picks could still pass, a handful of Republican defections could lead to some pushback. However, it may be unlikely as some GOP members may consider their reelection prospects in 2026 and the pressure of remaining aligned with Trump
Hopefully we see a few more Romneys and McCains that stand up for real Republicans and stand their ground from the MAGA plague that is dragging the values of the Republican Party into the ground. I saw somewhere that McConnell was standing up to Trump in some capacity as well on different issues, maybe others will have a backbone? It remains to be seen whether this will actually cause some shift or preventing of a shift with regards to the Republican Party or whether it will really just go off the MAGA cliff eventually. I'm also curious how Democrats respond to this, Fetterman in particular mentioning that he didn't really care and he would have to work with them anyways or something along those lines, and the fact that Schumer has been silent as well highlights that they're looking for in-fighting in Republicans, and maybe some of them will have the guts to stand up to the hypocrisy.
Trump seems to think he can get away with a lot based on his nominations. Matt Gaetz was a test. We'll see what happens to the others.
Though I hope that Republican Senators will stand up for their principles and oppose Trump, I am worried about his influence over the Republican party. He has created a powerful cult of personality, and loyalty to him is emphasized above ethical principles, leading many Republican leaders to align with him. He has vowed to go after his political enemies, and has threatened to use his executive powers to target critics/opponents. Moreover, it is interesting to note that his Vice President J.D. Vance was once a staunch Trump critic, once comparing him to Hitler, but has now completely shifted his position to become a supporter, likely due to Trump’s influence and power. For many Republicans, aligning with Trump brings political traction and increased influence.
It's fascinating to see the balance of power within the Republican Party being tested so visibly. The tension between loyalty to Trump and adherence to personal or party principles underscores the ongoing transformation of the GOP. While some senators may genuinely oppose these nominations on ethical or professional grounds, others might simply see the current political climate as an opportunity to distinguish themselves as moderates. However, I wonder if the backlash against Trump-aligned candidates could extend beyond the Republican Party. Could this situation prompt broader reform in how cabinet nominees are vetted or approved? Given the controversies surrounding both Hegseth and Gabbard, perhaps this is an opportunity to reassess the standards we hold for such critical roles in government.
Considering history, it is unlikely that presidential nominations will be turned down, especially given the fact that a majority of the senate is republican. Another important point is that senators looking for reelection are more likely to be coerced into going against their beliefs to act on Trump's interests. However, considering that the country is growing to be extremely polarized politically, we may see a change in this pattern, especially because Trump's nominations are very unconventional and controversial.
The interesting cabinet picks are definitely something to keep an eye on as Trump takes office. As we saw with Matt Gaetz, it's likely not going to be as easy as usual for the president to get all of his cabinet picks. Despite the Republicans holding the majority in the Senate, Trump may not get away with appointment highly controversial figures to his cabinet, particularly ones with serious allegations and sketchy track records (like Gaetz and Hegseth). In the case of Gabbard, I haven't heard too much about her controversies, but she's definitely someone to keep an eye on given that she did recently defect from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party this election cycle. Overall, it should be interesting to see how this unfolds over the next couple months.
Trump is clearly attempting to stack the cabinet with members with whom he is friendly. These people have disgusting allegations against them and little to no political experience. These people lack the qualifications they need to assume the positions Trump wishes for them. Trump wants to surround himself with "yes-men" who will do everything he says as they aren't informed enough to defy and why would they defy the man who helped them gain the position? I think several of the Republican senators who disagree will go ahead and approve of Trump's nominees because they've stuck by his side for so long. Trying to make enemies out of Trump before he's even been inaugurated won't bode well for them. Senator Murkowski and Senator Collins will represent those Republicans who want to go against Trump but are too afraid to. It honestly says enough that Republicans are beginning to realize the mistake of supporting Trump's reelection, his choice of nominees is a great example of Trump's morals and the path he is working to bring the U.S. down.
Trump's picks seem to all have sketchy backgrounds, either sexual assault or massive controversy. This should not be the new “normal” for the people that advise the president of the United States of America. These people are close to Trump, and he is giving them power in exchange for their devotion to him. Additionally, the fact that some Republican senators are afraid of losing Trump's favor, and that is the sole reason they will not go against his choices, is frustrating. Knowing this, and looking at the data that a nominee has been rejected once before, it is likely that we will see these nominees be passed. My hope is that the Republican senators will stick to their own morals and judgment, rather than what is expected of them. This marks the start of Trump’s nominees being people that will never say “no” to him.
Even republicans senators are feeling very scared for some of Trump's cabinet nominations which should concern the rest of the country. This only highlights the tension between loyalty and duty, as many people are too loyal to Trump which could harm the country, but many people are doing their job and going against Trump for his cabinet picks. The allegations of Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard are really concerning cause it isn’t like a small issue, this can become a huge problem in the future and can even become a lawsuit at some point. But overall, it’s really encouraging seeing some Republicans prioritizing their judgment and the people over their loyalty towards Trump. This is going to be something very interesting seeing this all play out in January as well as the 2026 elections.
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