Washington, D.C. has not caught on to Trump’s games yet. He’s always one step ahead of them.
Because President Trump just played 4D chess with the U.S. Senate and got exactly what he wanted from them.
Trump Continues Winning Streak With Barrage Of Senate Confirmations
After a brief setback during Matt Gaetz’s short-lived nomination for Attorney General, President Donald Trump has maintained an impeccable record in pushing through his top-level nominees in the Senate, despite fierce opposition from Democrats. Prior to the confirmation processes, few political commentators believed his nominees would have as much success as they’ve had.
This winning streak continued this week with the successful confirmation of two key figures — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Both were former Democrats who found themselves opposed by their old party, but despite the fierce resistance, they secured their confirmations, disproving earlier predictions of a bumpy road ahead.
Alongside them, Kash Patel’s nomination to be the next FBI Director also moved forward on Thursday, having passed through committee and now set for a full Senate vote. It was a busy Thursday for the Senate, with several other critical nominations advancing. Among them was Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for Commerce Secretary, who cleared a 52-45 vote to proceed to a final confirmation vote. Additionally, Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon used her confirmation hearing to argue for the abolition of the position by shutting down the Department of Education altogether.
“I’m really all for the President’s mission, which is to return education to the states,” McMahon told senators, signaling a clear departure from the traditional role of the federal government in education.
Trump’s Allies Held The Line, No Matter What
Trump’s streak of confirmed nominees started strong, setting the stage for a series of victories. Marco Rubio became Secretary of State with a unanimous vote of 99 to 0. Scott Bessent, nominated for Secretary of the Treasury, passed with a vote of 68 to 29. Doug Bergum was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior with a 79 to 18 vote. Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture received approval with a vote of 72 to 28. Sean Duffy was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation by 77 to 22. Pam Bondi became Attorney General with a narrow win of 54 to 46. Scott Turner, nominated for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was confirmed 55 to 44.
Chris Wright was confirmed as Energy Secretary by 59 to 38. Doug Collins received 77 to 23 approval as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Kristi Noem became Secretary of Homeland Security with a vote of 59 to 34. Lee Zeldin was confirmed as EPA Administrator by 56 to 42. Russ Vought won approval for Director of the Office of Management and Budget with a vote of 53 to 47. John Ratcliffe became CIA Director with a strong 74 to 25 vote.
With today’s confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard, the Senate has confirmed more nominees than the first Trump Administration and DOUBLE the number of Biden administration nominees at the same point in their confirmation processes. pic.twitter.com/9o6QblmECy
— Senate Republican Communications Center (@SRCC) February 12, 2025
Despite the successes, Democrats set their sights on a few controversial nominees. Four in particular became the target of the party’s efforts to block: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, and Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth.
Pete Hegseth, nominated for Secretary of Defense, faced a barrage of tough questions about alleged misconduct and drinking incidents in 2017, as well as the financial mismanagement of two nonprofits. Additionally, his past comments regarding women in combat sparked contentious debate. However, after a tense confirmation process, Hegseth was confirmed by a slim 51 to 50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was subjected to widespread accusations of being anti-vaccine, sparking a particularly bizarre moment when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) held up infant onesies with slogans like “NO VAX NO PROBLEM.” Sanders demanded, “Can you tell us now that you’re going to have your organization take these products off the market?” Kennedy, unfazed, responded by clarifying that he had resigned from the board of the organization selling the items, asserting that he had no control over them. Despite the spectacle, Kennedy prevailed and secured confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Tulsi Gabbard, too, found herself at odds with her former party, but ultimately overcame the opposition and was confirmed as Director of National Intelligence, further adding to Trump’s mounting list of confirmed nominees.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for the privilege and opportunity to serve our great country and the American people as your Director of National Intelligence. pic.twitter.com/vrucljDFg8
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) February 13, 2025
Kash Patel, nominated as FBI Director, cleared another hurdle with the committee’s approval and is now on track for a full Senate vote, signaling that Trump’s momentum for nominating and confirming key positions remains strong.
Trump’s nominations continue to move forward as the President pushes through a wide range of key appointments, all while facing strong resistance from Senate Democrats. With his near-perfect track record, the President’s ability to secure confirmations despite opposition remains one of his key successes in reshaping the federal government.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
