President-elect Trump isn’t playing games anymore. He’s putting his enemies on notice.
And now Washington, D.C. has been rocked to its core by this Trump declaration of war.
The Donald Trump transition team and peripheral allies are making it clear they are not going to accept an internal war amongst Republicans during Donald Trump’s second term. He’s expecting results and any Republicans wanting to stand in the way will risk their career in order to do so. The war on RINOs has been declared by Trump and his allies.
Trump’s allies are pressuring U.S. Senate Republican holdouts who are skeptical of the nominations for Donald Trump’s second term in office, including nominated Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Trump Allies Intensify Pressure on GOP Senators Over Cabinet Nominees
As President-elect Donald Trump and his transition team navigate the Senate confirmation process for his cabinet picks, his allies are stepping up their efforts to pressure Republican senators who remain hesitant in their support. With mounting political pressure and grassroots backing, Trump’s supporters are making it clear that they won’t tolerate any opposition to his nominees.
Corey Lewandowski, a longtime adviser to Trump, emphasized this strategy in a Fox News interview, stating, “There will be no resource that we won’t use to go after those U.S. senators that vote against Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks or his other nominees.” His statement highlighted the growing resolve within Trump’s camp to apply pressure on lawmakers who might oppose his choices.
A key figure in this struggle is Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, whose vote is seen as pivotal in the confirmation of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary. Ernst, a former combat veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, had publicly expressed concerns about Hegseth’s nomination due to past allegations involving misconduct and mismanagement. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer, has faced a range of accusations, including allegations of s*xual misconduct and mishandling of a veterans’ nonprofit organization. Though he denied the accusations, he did settle a lawsuit related to one incident and promised to abstain from alcohol if confirmed.
This is Joni Ernst.
She has been one of Iowa Senator's since 2015.
She still remains uncommitted to voting for Pete Hegseth.
She is up for reelection in 2026. pic.twitter.com/FSReo71H7r— America First Insight (@AF_Insight) December 5, 2024
After expressing doubt about Hegseth, Ernst faced heavy criticism from Trump’s supporters. Donald Trump Jr. quickly took to social media to target Ernst, questioning her commitment to the GOP and suggesting that senators critical of Hegseth might be in the “wrong political party.” Conservative activist Charlie Kirk also joined the attack, warning of a potential primary challenge in Iowa if Ernst opposed the nomination. “This is the red line. This is not a joke… Primaries are going to be launched,” Kirk declared, signaling his intent to mobilize donors against Republican senators who oppose Trump’s nominees.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and conservative commentator Steve Deace also voiced their strong support for Hegseth, while subtly criticizing Ernst for wavering. Bird, who had supported Trump during Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, argued that “D.C. politicians” were out of touch with their constituents. Deace, in turn, raised the possibility of challenging Ernst in a primary.
In response to the backlash, Ernst appeared to soften her position after a second meeting with Hegseth. She described the meeting as “encouraging” and confirmed that she would back him through the confirmation process. However, her office stressed that she was merely following the confirmation process and doing her job as a senator.
Ernst is not the only Republican senator facing pressure from Trump’s supporters. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, one of the GOP senators who voted to convict Trump in the 2021 impeachment trial, is now facing a primary challenge from Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, a former senior Trump adviser. Similarly, Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota, up for re-election in 2026, has been criticized by Trump allies, including Kirk and billionaire Elon Musk.
Meanwhile, Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, a staunch Trump supporter, had a clear message for Republican senators who might oppose the president-elect’s nominees: “Republicans: If you’re not on the team, get out of the way.”
Sen. Tommy Tuberville is all in:
"The people of Alabama gave a referendum to me. They said, 'You vote for whatever Donald Trump wants.' And that's exactly what I'm doing."pic.twitter.com/TsqEoPBDEc
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) December 11, 2024
Though it remains to be seen whether these threats will lead to real primary challenges, Trump’s allies are making it clear that they are prepared to hold Republican senators accountable for not supporting his Cabinet picks. According to one Trump insider, the campaign to defend Hegseth is crucial not only for his confirmation but for the overall success of the president-elect’s nominations. “If Trump world allowed a couple of establishment senators to veto a second nominee, it would have led to a feeding frenzy on Trump’s other nominees,” the adviser explained.
As the battle for Trump’s nominees continues, it is clear that his political allies are using every tool at their disposal to maintain control over the Senate confirmation process, aiming to ensure that no Republican senator stands in the way of his agenda.
While Donald Trump has earned decisive wins over the Republicans In Name Only (RINOs) over his time in the spotlight, the reality is that they are not an extinct breed just yet. They remain spotted throughout the Republican Party in high places like in the U.S. Senate, and they certainly do a lot of damage when they get in the way of real progress for Congress and the American people.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
