The White House is mobilizing ahead of a series of tough confirmation fights, as Senate Republicans grow weary of Trump’s mercurial management.
President Donald Trump may be relishing the chance to shake up his administration. But the Senate is threatening to upend his plans.
After using Twitter to abruptly oust his secretaries of state and veterans affairs and promote his CIA chief, the president is counting on the Senate GOP’s slim majority to confirm three new Cabinet members in the coming months — and potentially more, should his EPA administrator succumb to a torrent of withering headlines. Republicans aren’t pleased.
“It’s unusual. But it’s the president’s prerogative,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said of the cascading nominations. “I think a lot of us would appreciate the stability of being able to continue to work with individuals [in the Cabinet] who have been here awhile.”
The White House expects a series of tough confirmation battles, according to senators, aides and White House officials who are tracking the nominations of Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state, Gina Haspel to be CIA director and Ronny Jackson to be VA secretary.
Marc Short, Trump’s congressional liaison, is spearheading the White House’s efforts on Capitol Hill and has begun mobilizing support for the president’s appointments. His office is working closely with conservative activists to drum up enthusiasm and is preparing to pressure red-state Democrats to stand with Trump.
If Democrats offer unanimous opposition to any of the Cabinet nominees, Republicans are looking at a heavy lift — or worse, a failed confirmation vote if some GOP senators also balk. That would throw the Trump administration only further into disarray.
But even GOP senators are getting impatient with the chaos coming from the White House, with clear, if quiet, dissatisfaction with Jackson’s nomination in particular.
GOP senators viewed former VA Secretary David Shulkin as an ally — and they see Jackson’s nomination as an embodiment of Trump’s chaotic management style. Few have publicly committed to voting for Jackson.
