Some allies of President-elect Trump are lashing out at Senate Republicans as a second Cabinet nominee appears to be in jeopardy. This raises questions about the scope of Trump’s mandate and how much leeway he should have to build his second administration.
So far, Trump has already seen a Cabinet member withdraw in the face of opposition from Senate Republicans, with former Rep. Matt Gaetz dropping out as a candidate for attorney general amid questions about a House ethics report and misconduct. Now it’s Defense Secretary candidate Pete Hegseth Exposed to headwind Some Republicans are concerned about allegations of sexual misconduct and excessive drinking in previous jobs.
But several Trump allies have argued that the president-elect should have wide leeway over Senate Republicans after his convincing victory last month, and they have expressed frustration with the blowback Hegseth in particular is receiving.
Donald Trump Jr. and others took to social media to highlight how many Republican senators supported President Biden’s picks for secretary of defense (Lloyd Austin) and attorney general (Merrick Garland), and suggested that the same lawmakers join the Support from Hegseth should be included.
“What a shame. If you’re a Republican senator who voted for Lloyd Austin but criticizes @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” Trump Jr. posted on X.
The tensions illustrate that some of Trump’s picks for his Cabinet have been unorthodox or disregarded confirmability, testing how much he can bend Senate Republicans to his will.
“He wants people who he believes will get the job done, whether as disruptors, as reformers or by bringing the best out of that agency or department. Next, he looks for people who understand America First principles and have demonstrated loyalty over the past 10 years. So that overrode everything else,” a Trump ally told The Hill about the incoming president’s nominees.
“At the same time, you see a situation where there are a lot of Republican senators who need to pair up,” the ally added. “You have to understand that there is a very narrow window of opportunity to get things done. The American people have given him a mandate to end the status quo.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), a staunch Trump ally, wrote a comment in Newsweek on Thursday, denouncing that Senate Republicans had “destroyed” some of Trump’s nominees.
“Why do Republicans insist on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?” Biggs wrote. “We won the election. We have a mandate. We have slim majorities in Congress, but the American people have sent a signal to Washington, DC to do business as usual.”
After being in the minority for four years, Republicans regained the majority in the Senate with 53 seats in November. This was despite the GOP candidates losing in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin, with Trump edging out Vice President Harris in all states.
As a result, Trump’s candidates can only afford up to three defections from the Republican Party, assuming all Democrats vote against them. That led to early problems with some of his picks.
Gaetz, the former congressman who was Trump’s first nominee to lead the Justice Department, struggled to win over senators from the start amid concerns about an upcoming House ethics report into his conduct and broader questions about sexual misconduct .
Trump has expended little political capital trying to get Gaetz and the former congressman over the finish line withdrawn from consideration About a week after his initial announcement.
But senators’ opposition to Hegseth has drawn stronger opposition from Trump’s allies. The former Fox News host and Army veteran’s nomination has been sidelined amid mounting allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and other controversial behavior in his previous jobs.
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and other Republican Senators have signaled They are not prepared to support Hegseth’s nomination.
“The president deserves to believe that the people he nominates should be the ones to hold those positions. This is about Trump’s agenda. It’s about putting America first,” Elbridge Colby, who served at the Pentagon during Trump’s first term, said Friday on CNBC.
Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday that Hegseth was doing “very well” and had robust support. But Trump has not yet made the phone calls or publicly pressured senators to support Hegseth, and he has spoken to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (r.) about running the Pentagon in the event Hegseth withdraws.
But Hegseth’s nomination is unlikely to be the last to face intense scrutiny from Republicans, potentially leading to further clashes between Trump’s supporters and Republican senators.
Tulsi Gabbard, who was chosen by Trump to be director of national intelligence, was already there met with skepticism from some lawmakers who worry that her previous comments parroted Russian propaganda and her Meeting 2017 with the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, is likely to come under fire for his anti-vaccination rhetoric and other issues controversial views on raw milk and fluoride.
Kash Patel, a Trump loyalist tapped to be FBI director, is likely to face an uphill battle for confirmation, as senators have already said You have questions about Trump’s choice of former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) as IRS commissioner.
Trump’s critics have rejected the idea that the fresh administration has a broad mandate from the public. While Trump won the seven battleground states in November, he fell brief of 50 percent support nationally and his vote margin was less than two percentage points.
“To the extent that there is a mandate that came out of this last election, it is that the American people want us to work hard to reduce the high cost of living and reduce food prices, gasoline prices, child care costs, and housing costs.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told reporters Friday.
