On Thursday, the GOP-led Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to become President Donald Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services, ending a saga in which members grappled with the nominee’s skeptical views on vaccines.

The final vote was 52-48. All but one Republican voted for the Cabinet pick. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a childhood Polio survivor who had previously warned against undermining public confidence in “proven cures,” was the only GOP lawmaker to break ranks and vote against Kennedy Jr. along with all of the Democrats and the pair of independents who caucus with them.

Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963; and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, a former U.S. attorney general and U.S. senator who was assassinated in 1968 as he ran for president. Kennedy Jr. ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2024 cycle but later shifted to an independent bid in protest of how the party was conducting the process, including a lack of primary debates. After dropping out, Kennedy Jr. endorsed Trump. He pushed a “Make America Healthy Again” platform in a nod to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” mantra.

In November, Trump picked Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, saying: “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health.”

Trump added: “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country. Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!”

Kennedy Jr. earned a reputation as an environmental lawyer and best-selling author, but in recent years, he garnered attention for his vaccine skepticism, calling for more testing. During his confirmation hearings, Kennedy denied that he was anti-vaccine and insisted that he was rather “pro-safety.” He also vowed to transfer his financial interest in lawsuits connected to vaccines to his adult son.

A critical breakthrough happened right before Kennedy Jr. advanced out of committee by a 14-13 vote along party lines. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a doctor who previously said he was “struggling” with the nomination, announced he would support Kennedy after “intense conversations” with the Cabinet pick and the White House over the weekend and right up until the morning of the vote.

“I want to thank [Vice President JD Vance] specifically for his honest counsel. With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes,” Cassidy said in a statement.

The Daily Wire exclusively reported that former Vice President Mike Pence’s organization, Advancing American Freedom, had been urging senators to vote against confirming Kennedy Jr. over his past stances in support of abortion. However, Kennedy Jr. seemed to assuage concerns among conservatives with his pledge to abide by Trump’s priorities, which he said included ending late-term abortions and cutting federal funding for the procedures.

By Wednesday, the Senate broke the filibuster on the Kennedy Jr. nomination via a 53-47 vote along party lines. That happened shortly after the Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat who has also clashed with her old party, to become Director of National Intelligence by a 52-48 vote. Like with Kennedy Jr., McConnell was the sole GOP lawmaker to vote against Gabbard’s nomination.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced she would vote to confirm Kennedy Jr. despite “concerns” about his “views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination.”

Kennedy Jr. “made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research,” Murkowski added. “These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote.”

On the Democrat side, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X: “RFK Jr. has made a living not by promoting public health, but by actively fighting to undermine it. To state the very, very obvious: Putting a very wealthy vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist in charge of America’s public health would put every single American in danger.”

The Senate has confirmed 15 of Trump’s second-term Cabinet nominees, a process that has been stretched out as Democrats employ a number of delay tactics.

Last week, the Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on Kash Patel’s bid to lead the FBI after Democrats requested a hold. This also happened with Pam Bondi, who has since been confirmed as U.S. Attorney General. Patel’s nomination advanced to the full Senate on Thursday. Other nominees who are still awaiting a confirmation vote include Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, Agriculture Secretary pick Brooke Rollins, and Small Business Administration Administrator nominee Kelly Loeffler.

Kash Patel, who is President Donald Trump‘s pick to be director of the FBI, cleared a key hurdle on Thursday in the Senate confirmation process after a one-week delay at the behest of Senate Democrats.

The Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to favorably report Patel to the full Senate. Leadership is expected to move toward a final confirmation vote in the coming days. Patel will need a simple majority to be confirmed.

Patel was poised to get a committee vote last Thursday, but Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced during a meeting that the nomination was “held over” in recognition of a request by the Democrats as prescribed under the panel’s rules.

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee similarly secured a one-week delay on consideration of Pam Bondi to become U.S. Attorney General last month. She has since been confirmed to the Cabinet position by the full Senate.

At the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Thursday before the vote, Republican members argued Patel would restore trust in the FBI while Democrats raised concerns about the nominee’s qualifications and reliability.

“Mr. Patel should be considered our next FBI director because the FBI has been infected by political bias and weaponized against the American people. Mr. Patel knows it, Mr. Patel exposed it, and Mr. Patel’s been targeted for it,” Grassley said.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the ranking member, said he was “even more convinced” that Patel “has neither the experience, the judgment nor the temperament to lead the FBI” after reviewing his record, meeting him, and questioning him.

An FBI director answers directly to the U.S. Attorney General and serves a single term of up to 10 years. Chris Wray, a Trump nominee who stayed on as FBI director in the Biden administration, stepped down last month.

Trump nominated Patel, a leading investigator for the House Intelligence Committee who later served in multiple high-level national security positions within the president’s first administration, in late November.

“Kash is a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People,” Trump said, adding Patel played a role in uncovering the Russiagate scandal.

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the end of last month, Patel said, “Protecting the rights of the Constitution is of the utmost importance to me and has been every single time I have taken that oath of office.”

A House Republican unveiled a bill that not only authorizes President Donald Trump to make a deal for the acquisition of Greenland for the United States but also renames the island “Red, White, and Blueland” in a nod to the American flag.

Trump floated the idea of the U.S. taking control of Greenland, a territory controlled by Denmark, for national security purposes in December. In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has insisted Greenland is not for sale, but she did express openness to the U.S. being able to expand its military presence on the island.

Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) introduced legislation on Tuesday that would authorize the president to negotiate with Denmark to “purchase or otherwise acquire” Greenland. The legislation also includes a section requiring the renaming of Greenland as “Red, White, and Blueland” on maps and other records of the United States within six months of its enactment.

“America is back and will soon be bigger than ever with the addition of Red, White, and Blueland,” Carter said in a statement. “President Trump has correctly identified the purchase of what is now Greenland as a national security priority, and we will proudly welcome its people to join the freest nation to ever exist when our Negotiator-in-Chief inks this monumental deal.”

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) previously offered a bill called the “Make Greenland Great Again Act” that would authorize the president to pursue negotiations with the Kingdom of Denmark to secure the acquisition of Greenland. The bill, which has more than a dozen Republican co-sponsors, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee but otherwise has not progressed any further.

House Republicans have put forward bills that would give life to some of Trump’s other foreign policy ambitions, such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” and taking back the Panama Canal, that have also not gone very far in Congress to date.

During the first day of his second term, Trump signed an order directing the Interior Secretary to “take all appropriate actions” to rename the U.S. Continental Shelf area as the Gulf of America. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has since announced that his department had implemented the president’s instructions. And, as he flew on Air Force One over the gulf to the Super Bowl on Sunday, Trump proclaimed it to be “Gulf of America Day.”

A 76-year-old Democrat lawmaker froze in the middle of delivering a House floor speech, a health scare that his team suggested was due to a new medication.

Rep. John Larson (D-CT) was criticizing the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) when he abruptly stopped talking. In the moments that followed, Lardon appeared to struggle as he tried to get back to speaking. Larson was eventually told that his speaking time had expired as he slowly flipped through some papers.

WTNH News 8 in New Haven, Connecticut, later reported a statement from Larson’s office on what transpired on the House floor.

“Congressman Larson appreciates the well wishes from everyone who has reached out. This afternoon, he had what was likely an adverse reaction to a new medication and is having tests administered by the House Attending Physician out of an abundance of caution,” the lawmaker’s office said.

“He later participated in multiple meetings in his office and was alert and engaged,” Larson’s team continued. “The Congressman remains in touch with his staff and in good spirits.”

Video of Larson freezing mid-speech began to spread on X in the evening. Commenters reacted with a mix of reactions that ranged from wishing the congressman well, urging him to consider retirement, and calling for term limits.

Similar conversations have dogged older politicians on both sides of the aisle in recent years, including now-former President Joe Biden, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) had been pressured to step down over concerns about her health up until she died at the age of 90 in 2023.

CT Insider reported last summer that Connecticut’s delegation was among the nation’s oldest in the run-up to the 2024 election with the age of 66 being the average of its members in the House and Senate. Larson, who was then 75, was quoted defending the senior nature of himself and his colleagues.

“Provided you’re able to deliver and you’re able to carry out the responsibility in a system that’s based on seniority, this is a very good thing both for the state of Connecticut and for New England currently,” Larson said.

On Monday, the GOP-led Senate voted to break the filibuster on President Donald Trump‘s nomination of Tulsi Gabbard to become the director of national intelligence in his second-term administration.

The vote to invoke cloture on the Cabinet nominee was 52-46 along party lines. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Fetterman (D-PA) did not vote. Lawmakers have up to 30 hours of debate before a final confirmation vote.

Gabbard is a combat veteran, former House lawmaker from Hawaii, and 2020 presidential candidate who broke with the Democratic Party in 2022. Trump nominated her for the spy chief role in November.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength,” Trump said in a statement.

During her confirmation hearing at the end of January, Gabbard testified about ending the politicization of intelligence and restoring trust in the national security apparatus tasked with protecting American citizens.

Gabbard also called out what she said were attempts by critics to cast herself and Trump as a “puppet” to others, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, claiming that what “truly unsettles” them is “I refuse to be their puppet.”

Last week, the Intelligence Committee voted 9-8 along party lines to advance Gabbard’s nomination. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, also passed out of committee.

Gabbard apparently had alleviated concerns among some GOP senators over her stance on Edward Snowden and pledged in a letter to hold accountable those who make unauthorized disclosures of intelligence programs.

On Monday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) became the latest to publicly declare that she would vote for Gabbard even as the lawmaker noted that she had reservations about some of the nominee’s past positions.

“I appreciate her commitment to rein in the outsized scope of the agency, while still enabling the ODNI to continue its essential function in upholding national security,” Murkowksi said in a statement.

Securing the support of most if not all GOP senators will be key for Gabbard in the final confirmation vote after Fetterman, who had shown openness to some of Trump’s nominees, said he would not vote for her or Kennedy.

The Senate has confirmed a little more than a dozen of Trump’s second term Cabinet nominees, a process that has been stretched out as Democrats employ a number of delay tactics, such as forcing procedural votes.

On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee delayed a vote on Kash Patel’s bid to lead the FBI by a week after Democrats requested a hold. This also happened with Pam Bondi, who has since been confirmed as U.S. Attorney General.

“By this time in the Obama admin, TWICE as many of his noms were confirmed,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said on X. “It’s a total double standard from Democrats, but we won’t give up. We will confirm Trump’s entire team.”

The GOP-led House and Senate are pressing ahead with tax and budget legislation to implement President Donald Trump‘s second-term agenda.

The Senate is going with a two-step approach, with one focused on certain priorities such as border security, and the second dealing with tax break extensions, according to the Associated Press.

Senate Budget Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) scheduled meetings this week to consider what is reported to be a $340 billion plan, which also tackles energy, the military, and spending.

Lawmakers plan to use the budget reconciliation process, which in the Senate requires only 51 votes to pass rather than 60, giving the GOP more breathing room with its 53-47 majority.

Before taking office, Trump said he wanted “one big, beautiful bill,” but a week after his inauguration, he declared that he did not care if it ended up being split into two.

However, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is vying for a single bill, arguing on “Fox News Sunday” that it “gives us the highest probability of success of delivering” Trump’s campaign promises.

Johnson told anchor Shannon Bream there would be a budget markup this week, though he conceded that dealing with the GOP’s slim majority might take some time.

“I’ve got to make sure everyone agrees before we bring the project forward — that final product — and we’ve got a few more boxes to check, but we’re getting very, very close,” Johnson said.

In a post to X, Graham said that he hopes the House can “find a way forward on a bigger budget reconciliation bill” but stressed that the Senate “cannot allow” the moment to pass.

During a meeting at the White House last week, Trump laid out his administration’s “tax priorities” to House Republicans, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Leavitt listed them, including Trump’s proposals for no tax on tips, no tax on seniors’ Social Security, no tax on overtime pay, and renewing the 2017 middle-class tax cuts.

She also mentioned adjusting the SALT deduction cap, eliminating tax breaks for billionaire sports team owners, closing the carried interest loophole, and tax cuts for products made in America.

“This will be the largest tax cut in history for middle-class working Americans,” Leavitt said. “The president is committed to working with Congress to get this done.”

On Sunday, President Donald Trump designated February 9 to be “Gulf of America Day,” the latest move by the commander in chief to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

“I call upon public officials and all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities,” Trump said in his proclamation.

HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY! pic.twitter.com/xmsFDUjkXB

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 9, 2025

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X that Trump signed the document to declare the new holiday as Air Force One flew over the gulf on the way to the Super Bowl.

✈️MOMENTS AGO ON AF1: President Trump signed a Proclamation declaring February 9th “Gulf of America Day” while flying over the newly and appropriately named GULF OF AMERICA! 🇺🇸

📸: @dto_rok pic.twitter.com/BA1f5VF3ft

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 9, 2025

“We’re flying right over it right now, so we thought this would be appropriate,” Trump said in a video posted to X. “Even bigger than the Super Bowl, this is a big thing.”

President @realDonaldTrump signs a Proclamation declaring February 9, 2025 as the first ever Gulf of America Day 🇺🇸

Listen as Air Force One announces a flyover of Gulf of America en route to Super Bowl LIX! pic.twitter.com/fNk0e6l7dL

— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) February 9, 2025

Before taking office in January, Trump announced that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. He took aim at Mexico, raising issues with trade deficits and cartels.

And, on the day of his inauguration, Trump signed an order directing the Interior secretary to “take all appropriate actions” to rename the U.S. Continental Shelf area as the Gulf of America.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who was with Trump in Air Force One on Sunday, said that his department had implemented the president’s instructions from the executive order.

It's official! Congratulations @POTUS on the Gulf of America! @Interior has implemented your instruction from the Executive Order on Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness. Another big win for President Trump's agenda to Make America Great Again. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/nZtkDQTFO3

— Secretary Doug Burgum (@SecretaryBurgum) February 9, 2025

“Another big win for President Trump’s agenda to Make America Great Again,” Burgum said in a post to X, which also featured a U.S. Geological Survey map showing the Gulf of America.

Mike Waltz, who is Trump’s national security adviser, posted a photo looking out a window on Air Force One and said, “Nothing like the first flight of Air Force One over the Gulf of America!”

Nothing like the first flight of Air Force One over the Gulf of America! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/pnGvsfUzfl

— Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) February 9, 2025

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has unveiled a bill to ensure references in U.S. law, maps, and other records to the Gulf of Mexico are deemed to be references to the Gulf of America.

In response to Trump signing his Gulf of America holiday proclamation, Greene called on Congress to pass her legislation so “a future America Last Democrat can’t change it back!”

HAPPY GULF OF AMERICA DAY!! 🇺🇸

Aboard Air Force One today, @POTUS signed a proclamation declaring 2/9/25 the first Gulf of America Day.

Congress needs to pass my bill renaming the Gulf of America, so a future America Last Democrat can’t change it back! pic.twitter.com/UEGxEq4XfV

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 9, 2025

Trump threatened to institute 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico earlier this month, but paused the plan after the country sent troops to its border with the U.S. to stop drug trafficking.

Canada also sent troops to its border with the U.S., a move that averted tariffs for at least a month, like with Mexico. Meanwhile, the U.S. and China have begun a series of tit-for-tat levies.

The GOP-led Senate confirmed Russell Vought to once again become director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President Donald Trump after Democrats spent all night into the day protesting the nomination.

On Thursday evening, all Republicans voted in favor of Vought while every Democrat and the independents who caucus with them opposed the Cabinet nominee, resulting in a final 53-47 tally.

“Russ Vought will have the chance to address two key economic issues – cutting burdensome government regulations and addressing excessive spending,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said in a post to X on Wednesday. “I am confident that he will help lead that charge.”

Russ Vought will have the chance to address two key economic issues – cutting burdensome government regulations and addressing excessive spending.

I am confident that he will help lead that charge. pic.twitter.com/jwTf7XBkqm

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) February 5, 2025

Vought led OMB during the first Trump administration and later founded the Center for Renewing America. In November, Trump picked Vought to serve another stint as leader of OMB, a role in which he is poised to work alongside the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its leader Elon Musk in enacting sweeping cuts to spending across the federal bureaucracy.

“Russ has spent many years working in Public Policy in Washington, D.C., and is an aggressive cost cutter and deregulator who will help us implement our America First Agenda across all Agencies,” Trump said in a statement. “Russ knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government, and he will help us return Self Governance to the People.”

When Vought appeared for his confirmation hearing last month, he testified about efficient use of taxpayer dollars to help U.S. citizens, citing the scourge of inflation fueled by “irresponsible” federal spending.

WATCH: OMB Director Nominee Russell Vought Opening Statement pic.twitter.com/SF2v5lAPK7

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 15, 2025

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee later voted 8-7 to send Vought’s nomination to the full Senate. On Wednesday, the upper chamber voted 53-47 along party lines to break the filibuster on Vought’s nomination.

Democrats then pulled an all-nighter, using 30 hours of debate time to speak out on the Senate floor against the Cabinet pick. Many of them brought up Project 2025, which Trump disavowed in the midst of his campaign, and spending.

“I wouldn’t trust Russell Vought to run a 5K, let alone to run the federal government, let alone to run the process by which we distribute funds to the things that keep us safe and healthy and prosperous,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE).

“I wouldn't trust Russell Vought to run a 5K, let alone to run the federal government,

let alone to run the process by which we distribute funds to the things that keep us safe and healthy and prosperous.”

—Senator @ChrisCoons pic.twitter.com/roGSB255km

— Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) February 6, 2025

Ultimately, the Democrats were powerless to stop Vought’s confirmation on Thursday and even got shut down when some tried to speak out when the final vote was taking place.

🚨WATCH🚨 Democrat Senators heckle and shout during the vote to confirm Russel Vought as OMB Director pic.twitter.com/QWBCfTvPKq

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) February 7, 2025

🚨New: Elizabeth Warren just got humiliated

She tried to scream down Russ Vought's nomination for OMB Director

The Chair scolded her: “No debate is permitted during a vote, the Senator will suspend.”

After this she sat back down in her chair.
pic.twitter.com/jVivd4lrtn

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) February 7, 2025

“Democrats spent all night on the Senate floor to delay a vote on [Vought] for OMB Director. They’re wasting their time,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said in a post to X. “Americans made their voices heard by electing President Trump & we WILL deliver by confirming Trump’s team ASAP.”

The Senate has now confirmed more than a dozen of Trump’s Cabinet nominees and more are making their way through the confirmation process. Besides Vought, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is the only other Trump pick this cycle to get approval with only Republican votes, including Vice President JD Vance serving as tie-breaker.

Earlier on Thursday, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee secured a one-week delay on a vote to advance the nomination of Kash Patel, Trump’s pick for FBI director, to the full Senate. The same thing previously happened with Pam Bondi, who later advanced out of committee and was then confirmed by the Senate to become U.S. Attorney General on Tuesday.

After confirming Vought, the Senate proceeded with procedural steps that set the stage for final votes on Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence; Robert F. Kennedy, the pick to be HHS secretary; and other remaining nominees, likely to happen next week.

On Wednesday, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly suffered two more falls, this time in the U.S. Capitol.

Punchbowl News’ Max Cohen said in a post to X that the 82-year-old fell twice in a “short span,” once while exiting the Senate chamber and again while entering a closed-door GOP lunch.

One tumble happened after McConnell voted to confirm Scott Turner as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Fox News’ Chad Pergram noted that Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) helped McConnell up.

John Bresnahan, a Punchbowl News co-founder, offered details on what apparently was the second fall. He said McConnell fell on his side while carrying a plate of food and may have bruised his face.

Cohen later posted a photo of McConnell exiting the GOP lunch. He noted that McConnell was holding onto an aide for support as he entered Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-SD) office.

Yet another post from Cohen showed McConnell in a wheelchair, which his team said was being used as a precautionary measure.

Mitch McConnell is in a wheelchair after falling multiple times today pic.twitter.com/pDd03oBgQl

— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) February 5, 2025

“Senator McConnell is fine,” a McConnell spokesperson told The Daily Wire. “The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.”

McConnell, a childhood Polio survivor, announced last February that he would not seek another term as GOP leader in the Senate following multiple health scares in the preceding months.

The senator was briefly hospitalized in March 2023 with a concussion after falling at a D.C. hotel, and in the months that followed, he appeared to freeze and struggled to answer questions from the press.

More recently, McConnell got a cut on his face and sprained his wrist after tripping in December. McConnell received medical attention, and his spokesperson said the senator was cleared to resume his schedule.

After revealing his plans to step aside from leadership, McConnell indicated that he planned to serve out the remainder of his current term in the upper chamber, which ends in January 2027.

“I still have enough gas in my tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm with which they’ve become accustomed,” he said during Senate floor remarks.

In a radio interview that followed, he said, “I’m not leaving the Senate. And I’m particularly involved in actually fighting back against the isolationist movement in my own party and so many others as well.”

It took just over two weeks after Inauguration Day for House Democrats to begin a push to impeach President Donald Trump in his second administration.

Rep. Al Green (D-TX) announced Wednesday that he was introducing articles of impeachment, citing the prospect of “ethnic cleansing” after Trump proposed the United States take over Gaza.

“The movement to impeach the president has begun,” Green said. “I rise to announce that I will bring Articles of Impeachment against the president for dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.”

During a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Trump proposed that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip.

“We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out,” Trump said.

He added the project would “create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job, do something different.”

As reported by The Daily Wire, Trump mentioned earlier on Tuesday during an Oval Office meeting with Netanyahu that he wanted to have the entire population of Gaza relocated — not killed.

“We’re talking about probably 1.7 million people,” Trump told reporters. “I think they’ll be resettled in areas where they can live a beautiful life and not be worried about dying every day.”

The Gaza Strip has been mired in a conflict between Israel and Hamas ever since the October 7 terror attack of 2023. Both sides reached a hostage-and-ceasefire deal earlier this month.

Green is no stranger to proposing articles of impeachment against Trump. The congressman from the Houston area did so multiple times during Trump’s first term but to no avail.

However, Trump did get impeached twice, just not on articles brought by Green. One dealt with Ukraine, and the other with January 6. Both efforts ended in acquittal by a GOP-led Senate.

Green’s latest bid to impeach Trump will likely be dismissed like those in the past, as the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans who are largely aligned with the president.

“Nobody cares,” Elon Musk, who is leading cost-cutting efforts in Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), said in response to a video of Green posted to X.

Nobody cares https://t.co/norkwEJrcv

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2025

Vice President JD Vance offered insight into President Donald Trump‘s comments about how DEI policies were a factor in the deadly mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and Army Black Hawk Helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area last week.

Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo asked Vance if he had any evidence that any of the employees at the control were “DEI hires” during a “Sunday Morning Futures” interview.

“No, the president’s been very clear about this. This is not saying that the person who was at the controls is a DEI hire,” Vance replied, adding: “Let’s just say, first of all, we should investigate everything. But let’s just say the person at the controls didn’t have enough staffing around him or her because we were turning people away because of DEI reasons. There is a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers. That has to stop.”

Vice President @JDVance on DEI hiring practices at the FAA 🎯

“There’s a very direct connection between the policies of the last administration and short-staffed air traffic controllers…That is a scandal. Thankfully, it's a scandal that the president has stopped." pic.twitter.com/e5NYUYCSlq

— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) February 2, 2025

Vance continued his answer by responding to the media coverage of Trump’s remarks in the wake of the tragedy in which 67 people were killed.

“By the way, it’s so funny to me. The media has picked up on this — not you, of course, Maria — but others have picked up on this. The president made very clear that he wasn’t blaming anybody, but he was being very explicit about the fact that DEI policies have led our air traffic controllers to be short-staffed. That is a scandal,” Vance said. “Thankfully, it’s a scandal that the president has stopped.”

The New York Times revealed that an internal preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that staffing at the tower at the time of the collision was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.” Also mentioned by the newspaper was that the controller who was dealing with helicopters around the airport was also instructing planes that were landing and departing, tasks typically assigned to multiple people.

Earlier in the interview, Vance explained how he believed DEI policies of the Obama and Biden administrations “contributed” to the current situation.

“We have a massive shortage of air traffic controllers. And, in fact, there have been a number of lawsuits from people who would like to become air traffic controllers against the Obama and Biden administration who basically said, we were told not even to apply because of the color of our skin, because they were white people who wanted to be air traffic controllers, and under the DEI regime of the Biden administration, they weren’t welcome.”

Vance said that means the “we don’t have the best and the brightest sometimes in these positions” and “even more importantly than that, even when we do get really good people, they’re going to be way overstressed because they’re working long hours, because air traffic controllers are short-staffed.”

Hearkening back to his time in the Senate, Vance noted that he served on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

“We knew for years that we had a shortage at air traffic control,” Vance said. “Well, part of the reason why we had a shortage at air traffic control is because we were telling our air traffic controllers not to hire people because of the color of their skin. That is a scandal, and it is a scandal, thankfully, that has stopped under the leadership of President Trump. It’s why I’m actually optimistic about aviation safety, but it’s also why we have had way too many near misses and unfortunately a fatal crash just a couple days ago.”

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) appears to have gotten off to a fast start during the first two weeks of President Donald Trump‘s second term.

Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, delivered a number of updates on his social media platform, X, on Friday and into the weekend about what it takes to cut government spending by billions of dollars a day.

He shared a post from DOGE that showed a list of more than 100 “DEI related contract cancellations” that resulted in more than $1 billion worth of “savings.”

Updated data on DEI related contract cancellations with full detail: https://t.co/hEBk62KQvN pic.twitter.com/kcPATigb3x

— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) January 31, 2025

Musk posted about cutting the federal deficit.

“Reducing the federal deficit from $2T to $1T in FY2026 requires cutting an average of ~$4B/day in projected 2026 spending from now to Sept 30,” Musk said in the original post. “That would still result in a ~$1T deficit, but economic growth should be able to match that number, which would mean no inflation in 2026. Super big deal.”

Reducing the federal deficit from $2T to $1T in FY2026 requires cutting an average of ~$4B/day in projected 2026 spending from now to Sept 30.

That would still result in a ~$1T deficit, but economic growth should be able to match that number, which would mean no inflation in…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 31, 2025

He later responded to the original post with updates.

“I am cautiously optimistic that we will reach the $4B/day FY2026 reduction this weekend,” Musk said. He added in a second post: “None of this would be possible without President @realDonaldTrump.”

None of this would be possible without President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/OGCWYxJAqb

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

With a third, Musk said: “Obviously, there will be EXTREME opposition from the grifters!! And they will make it sound like we’re cutting funding to save baby pandas when we’re actually cutting funding to fraudsters, wastrels & terrorists … This is only possible because of President @realDonaldTrump.”

Obviously, there will be EXTREME opposition from the grifters!!

And they will make it sound like we’re cutting funding to save baby pandas when we’re actually cutting funding to fraudsters, wastrels & terrorists 🤣🤣

This is only possible because of President @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/OGCWYxJAqb

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

A report from Reuters said aides to Musk locked government workers out of computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management.

Asked if the report was true, and given plaudits if it was, Musk replied with a smiling “winking face” emoji.

😉

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

The Daily Wire’s Luke Rosiak posted about how the General Services Administration “surrendered” after a deputy to Musk “deleted huge swaths of code dedicated to virtue-signaling rather than mission, such as its ‘inclusion bot’ that lectured staff.”

Musk said in response to Rosiak: “Deleted.”

Deleted https://t.co/o0C9neqJcG

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

Rosiak also posted about how “Federal government-wide computer office @18F, which to this day has a transgender flag as its logo, also deleted where its employee handbook instructed employees to explain what they look like at each meeting so blind people could know if there was sufficient racial diversity.”

Musk said in reply: “The nightmare is Over.”

The nightmare is over https://t.co/YgIhyysBbQ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

Conservative activist Robby Starbuck posted about DOGE and the Treasury Department.

“The highest ranking Treasury official, David A Lebryk, is resigning rather than complying with a request by @DOGE for access to audit where they’ve spent trillions of dollars a year,” Starbuck wrote. “Why would career bureaucrats fear an audit by @elonmusk and @doge to see where we can save money?”

Musk said in response: “The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.”

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

They literally never denied a payment in their entire career.

Not even once. https://t.co/kInoGWdw4C

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

There were other posts about DOGE throughout the weekend.

💯

They are government-funded non-governmental organizations – living oxymorons! https://t.co/qg49sUD7fD

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

Live by executive order, die by executive order

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

 

😎 https://t.co/6EU2FA8hXI

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

Doge will fix it

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

Noted

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

@DOGE is on the warpath. pic.twitter.com/HjrqteZ3mZ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

 

In one of his most viral comments of the weekend, Musk revealed a major weakness of the bureaucracy that he is trying to shrink.

Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days!

Working the weekend is a superpower 😂 https://t.co/VgyBk1nJIO

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

Great idea

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

“Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days! Working the weekend is a superpower,” he said.

Musk added later: “DOGE is working 120 hour a week. Our bureaucratic opponents optimistically work 40 hours a week. That is why they are losing so fast.”

Very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend, so it’s like the opposing team just leaves the field for 2 days!

Working the weekend is a superpower 😂 https://t.co/VgyBk1nJIO

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

DOGE is working 120 hour a week. Our bureaucratic opponents optimistically work 40 hours a week. That is why they are losing so fast. https://t.co/dXtrL5rj1K

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 2, 2025

On Thursday, the GOP-led Senate confirmed former North Dakota Governor and businessman Doug Burgum to become Interior secretary, a big step forward for President Donald Trump‘s “energy dominance” agenda.

The final vote was 79-18, with many Democrat members joining with their Republican colleagues in supporting Burgum’s nomination to the Cabinet role in Trump’s second term. Another three senators did not vote.

On X, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he looked forward to working with Burgum to “protect our public lands and leverage some of America’s greatest assets for a safer, more prosperous future.”

Governor Burgum knows that America’s natural resources are our greatest national asset.

I look forward to working with him to protect our public lands and leverage some of America’s greatest assets for a safer, more prosperous future. pic.twitter.com/wdQWN13hqi

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) January 30, 2025

Burgum ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2024 race, but dropped out and endorsed Trump. He was reportedly a finalist to become Trump’s running mate before now-Vice President JD Vance got the nod.

In November, Trump announced that he picked Burgum to lead the Department of Interior, which manages public lands and deals with Native American relations, as well as a new National Energy Council.

🚨 STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP: pic.twitter.com/F0M9AQa5yB

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 15, 2024

“Doug Burgum will protect our Nation’s Natural Resources, restore our fabulous Oil and Gas advantage, and Make America, and its Energy, Dominant and Great Again!” Trump said in a statement.

In his confirmation hearing for Interior, Burgum testified about Trump’s “energy dominance” vision. He argued that shutting down U.S. energy production to help the global environment was a “false tradeoff.”

Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum on how he would help to make President-elect Trump's vision of American energy dominance come to fruition. pic.twitter.com/FtDPITYafu

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 16, 2025

Burgum advanced out of committee by an 18-2 vote. His final confirmation vote was very bipartisan, but it fell short of the unanimous show of support that Secretary of State Marco Rubio received.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and EPA head Lee Zeldin have also been confirmed.

Other nominees are still working their way through the Senate. Democrats have sought to impede the confirmation process, such as forcing procedural votes, an effort that has earned stern rebukes from the GOP.

By Jan. 30th, Obama had 22 members of his admin confirmed, 19 of which were expedited votes.

As of this morning, Trump has 7 confirmed, & today, Democrats are delaying yet another confirmation vote.

I’ve got news for Dems: late nights and long hours won’t stop us. We WILL…

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) January 30, 2025

Among the next Cabinet picks poised to get a confirmation vote is Christopher Wright, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Energy. Wright was also chosen to serve as a member of the National Energy Council.

“This team will drive U.S. Energy Dominance, which will drive down Inflation, win the A.I. arms race with China (and others), and expand American Diplomatic Power to end Wars all across the World,” Trump said.

New details indicate the air traffic control tower at Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area was understaffed when a nearby helicopter collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday night.

An internal preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that staffing at the tower was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to The New York Times.

“The tower was nearly a third below targeted staff levels, with 19 fully certified controllers as of Sept. ***2023***… The shortage — caused by ***years*** of employee turnover and tight budgets, among other factors — has forced many controllers to work up to six days a week…” https://t.co/f78yCtL21j

— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) January 30, 2025

The newspaper said the controller who was dealing with helicopters around the airport was also instructing planes that were landing and departing, tasks which are typically assigned to multiple people.

Also mentioned by The New York Times was how the Reagan airport tower had been understaffed for years, part of a nationwide shortage that has led to many controllers working long hours, up to six days a week.

The newspaper further explained that the Reagan airport tower was nearly a third below targeted staff levels, with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 reported to Congress in an FAA workforce plan.

Search efforts in the Potomac River began immediately after the mid-air crash between an American Airlines jet with 60 passengers and four crew on board and an Army Black Hawk Helicopter carrying three soldiers.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday afternoon, “Sadly, there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history and a tragedy of terrible proportions.”

President Trump on DCA helicopter-plane crash: "Sadly, there are no survivors. This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capitol and in our nation's history and a tragedy of terrible proportions." pic.twitter.com/ZzeXygwpAr

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 30, 2025

National Transportation Safety Board officials said their agency plans to release a preliminary report on the D.C. crash “within 30 days” followed by a final report when an investigation has been completed.

The mid-air collision follows the Senate confirmations in the past week of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, both of whom have responded to the tragedy.

“What happened today should never have happened. I want the families of the victims to know that they have my word: I will not rest until you have the truth,” Duffy said in a series of posts to X.

“I will find answers to how this happened. I have directed every relevant agency to immediately investigate what went wrong, and I will not tolerate delays or bureaucratic excuses,” the secretary added.

He concluded by saying: “If there was negligence, incompetence, or failure anywhere in the system, we will find it — and I will fix it. I will provide further updates as we uncover the facts.”

On Wednesday, Lee Zeldin received Senate confirmation to become administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the latest of President Donald Trump‘s second-term nominees to get approval from the upper chamber of Congress.

The GOP-led Senate voted 56-42 to confirm Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York, to take on the Cabinet role. Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) broke ranks and voted for Zeldin with their GOP colleagues. Two Democrat senators did not vote.

“CONFIRMED! Thank You to the 56 Senators for your vote and confidence,” Zeldin said in a post to X. “Grateful to President [Trump] for having the faith in me to be part of his Cabinet as [EPA] Administrator. Make America Great Again!”

✅ CONFIRMED! Thank You to the 56 Senators for your vote and confidence.

Grateful to President @realDonaldTrump for having the faith in me to be part of his Cabinet as @EPA Administrator. 

Make America Great Again!🇺🇸

— Lee Zeldin (@LeeMZeldin) January 29, 2025

Trump announced that he was nominating Zeldin, who served eight years in the House and ran a competitive but unsuccessful campaign against New York Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022, for the EPA administrator position back in November.

“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said.

“He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way,” Trump continued, adding, “I have known Lee Zeldin for a long time, and have watched him handle, brilliantly, some extremely difficult and complex situations. I am very proud to have him in the Trump Administration, where he will quickly prove to be a great contributor!”

Zeldin testified in a confirmation hearing earlier this month and later advanced out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by an 11-8 vote. He is the seventh person to obtain Senate approval to join Trump’s second-term Cabinet after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

WATCH: EPA Administrator Nominee Lee Zeldin Opening Statement pic.twitter.com/uRlhx7OrDP

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 16, 2025

Other nominees are still working their way through the Senate. Democrats have sought to impede the confirmation process, such as forcing procedural votes, an effort that has earned stern rebukes from the GOP.

“It’s day 10 of Pres. Trump’s admin, & Senate Democrats are still using every trick in the book to delay & obstruct Pres. Trump’s team,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said in a post to X, adding that former President Barack Obama “had 22 nominees confirmed by now! Trump only has 7. Pres. Trump needs his full team in place to help make America great again. We won’t stop until every last nominee is confirmed.”

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed into law the “Laken Riley Act,” a bill that requires federal officials to arrest non-U.S. nationals accused of violent and theft-related crimes in the United States.

The immigration legislation was passed through the GOP-led House and Senate with bipartisan support. It is the first bill that Trump has signed into law during his nascent second term in the White House. Under the law, the Homeland Security Department is directed to detain “certain aliens” charged with, convicted of, or who admit to certain theft-related or violent offenses. It also authorizes states to sue over immigration enforcement.

🚨 Trump signs the Laken Riley Act, his first bill signed into law as the 47th President. pic.twitter.com/dZECmVaY34

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 29, 2025

Laken Riley was a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was killed last year. An illegal immigrant from Venezuela, Jose Ibarra, was convicted of murdering Riley and sentenced to life in prison. Amid the ensuing national outcry, it was revealed that Ibarra had been previously arrested for other offenses, but he was released in New York before federal authorities could issue a detainer.

“To Laken’s family, we will keep Laken’s memory alive in our hearts forever,” Trump said at a signing ceremony at the White House. “Everyone’s hearts. With today’s action, her name will also live forever in the laws of our country. And this is a very important law. This is something that has brought Democrats and Republicans together — that’s not easy to do. Laken did it. Laken did it. America will never, ever forget Laken Hope Riley.”

"Laken's name will live forever in the laws of our country.

America will never, ever forget Laken Hope Riley."@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/87v2cox691

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 29, 2025

Border czar Tom Homan, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, GOP lawmakers, and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) were in attendance, as were members of Riley’s family. The Daily Wire’s Mary Margaret Olohan recorded video of Riley’s mother weeping as she delivered remarks, thanking Trump and the lawmakers who sponsored the bill.

Laken Riley’s mother weeps as she thanks President Trump for keeping his promises and honoring the memory of her daughter: pic.twitter.com/HhxPIpmhzq

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 29, 2025

On the campaign trail last year, Trump met with family and friends of Riley. He also posted on social media when Ibarra was convicted in November on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault with intent to rape Riley. “JUSTICE FOR LAKEN RILEY!,” Trump exclaimed, adding that it was “time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!”

The “Laken Riley Act” initially focused solely on theft-related crimes for the detention requirement, in addition to empowering states to sue over alleged immigration infractions. Both chambers of Congress ultimately passed the bill with GOP amendments that added violent offenses, including assault of a police officer, to the detention section.

Although the legislation received bipartisan support, Democrat opponents warned that non-citizens simply accused of crimes might not get due process if it became law and that it would be a boon to private prisons.

Pam Bondi, who is President Donald Trump‘s pick to be U.S. attorney general, cleared a key hurdle in the Senate confirmation process after Democrats placed a temporary hold on her nomination last week.

On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee voted 12-10 along party lines to favorably report Bondi to the full Senate. Leadership may now move toward a final confirmation vote, for which Bondi will need a simple majority.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has favorably reported Pam Bondi’s nomination for Attorney General. Next stop: the Senate floor! ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/D2TqRUyO5r

— Senate Judiciary Republicans (@SenJudiciaryGOP) January 29, 2025

“Congrats to my good friend [Pam Bondi]!” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said in a post to X, responding to the panel’s vote. “She will do an incredible job, and I look forward to voting yes on her confirmation on the Senate floor.”

Judiciary Democrats said, “Republicans just advanced Trump’s attorney general nominee to the full Senate, despite her clear intent to side with wealthy special interests and Donald Trump over the American people.”

BREAKING: Senate Judiciary Republicans just advanced Trump’s attorney general nominee to the full Senate, despite her clear intent to side with wealthy special interests and Donald Trump over the American people.

— Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryDems) January 29, 2025

The Senate Judiciary Committee had planned to meet on Bondi’s nomination last week, but the panel announced that its Democrat members instituted a seven-day hold — a move allowed under the rules.

Bondi, a former GOP attorney general of Florida, testified before the panel in a confirmation hearing earlier this month and discussed her priorities if she were confirmed to lead the Department of Justice.

“I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components,” Bondi said. “The partisanship, the weaponization, will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all.”

Also during her confirmation hearing, Bondi made waves when she clashed with some of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Democrat members, including Sens. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA).

“Senator, what I can tell you is that I will never play politics,” Bondi declared in an exchange with Schiff. “You’re trying to engage me in a ‘gotcha.’ I won’t play politics with any ongoing investigation like you did.”

The GOP-led Senate has so far confirmed six Cabinet nominees for Trump’s second term despite efforts by the Democrats to impede the process, such as forcing procedural votes, and has several more under consideration.

Bondi’s nomination advanced to the full Senate as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, appeared for a confirmation hearing before the Finance Committee.

The GOP-led Senate is ahead of the “Obama standard” when it comes to confirming President Donald Trump‘s Cabinet nominees, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on Sunday.

During an interview on “Sunday Morning Futures” nearly a week into Trump’s second term, Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo pressed Thune about the confirmation process, which Democrats have prevented from being conducted in a more speedy manner by forcing procedural votes and employing other delay tactics.

“Why haven’t we seen more confirmations sooner? It certainly feels like the 53 Senate majority Republicans are allowing the 47 Senate minority Democrats to confirm the confirmation hearing process. Is that right?” Bartiromo asked, incorporating the 45 Senate Democrats with the pair of independents who caucus with them.

Today on @SundayFutures with @MariaBartiromo, Senate Majority Leader @LeaderJohnThune spoke about the Senate confirmation process for President Trump's cabinet nominees.@FoxNews pic.twitter.com/J4EY5xIZzw

— SundayMorningFutures (@SundayFutures) January 26, 2025

“Well, actually, we’re ahead of schedule. We’re going back to what is the Obama standard,” Thune replied, adding that former president Barack Obama “got 12 of his Cabinet nominees through in 15 days. It took Trump 43 days to get his first 12 through back in 2017” for his first term.

“So we are pushing hard. And, obviously, there are constraints that are imposed by the rules of the Senate. The minority in the Senate has ways that can slow things down and drag it out,” Thune said.

“But we’re actually, at the current point, ahead of the Obama standard,” the majority leader continued. “And so we’re going to keep moving aggressively, moving quickly, forcing people to stay and to take votes on weekends, which we did this weekend.”

He added: “We will get them in place as quickly as we possibly can. But we are on the schedule that we laid out and one that I think enables these folks to get through the process in time to deliver for the president and for the American people.”

The Senate has so far confirmed Marco Rubio to be U.S. Secretary of State, John Ratcliffe to be CIA director, Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary, and — in a vote on Saturday — Kristi Noem to be homeland security secretary.

Scott Bessent, Trump’s treasury secretary nominee; and Sean Duffy, the nominee to become transportation secretary are expected to get confirmation votes in the coming days.

Thune said that installing “new leadership” at federal agencies and departments are needed to implement Trump’s second term agenda.

“Of course, we’re starting with the national security positions, which are critically important with everything that’s going on in the world and everything that’s going on at our southern border, which is why it was important that we get Governor Noem in at DHS,” Thune said.

“But, as we move forward, we have got Treasury, Bessent coming up, Sean Duffy at DOT, a whole bunch more that we’re queuing up, teeing up to get done. And it’s just really important that they get in place, Maria, because you have a window of time. This doesn’t come along all that often and sometimes doesn’t last that long,” he added.

Thune concluded: “And so we want to make sure the president has his team in place so he’s able to deliver on the agenda that he talked with the American people about and that they voted for in November.”

On Friday evening, the GOP-led Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth to become Donald Trump‘s defense secretary, ending a dramatic confirmation process for the high-profile figure who aims to revitalize the U.S. military.

The final vote was 51-50. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) along with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined with Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them in opposing the nomination, leaving Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.

#BREAKING: U.S. Senate CONFIRMS Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense, 51-50. @VP Vance breaks tie, second tie-breaking vote on Cabinet nominee in history. pic.twitter.com/6TiVfYQxR6

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 25, 2025

This was the second time in which a vice president broke a tie for a Cabinet nominee. The first instance happened in 2017 when then-Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote for Betsy DeVos to become education secretary in Trump’s first administration.

“I thought I was done voting in the senate,” Vance, a former U.S. senator from Ohio, quipped in a post to X as he traveled to the U.S. Capitol.

I thought I was done voting in the senate 😂

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 25, 2025

Hegseth, 44, is an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host who has experience leading veteran advocacy groups. He also has written a number of books, including one focused on how the military has gone woke.

At a time when the Pentagon is contending with low recruitment and several failed audits in a row, Hegseth testified in his confirmation hearing that Trump wants him to restore a “warrior culture” and predicted troops would “rejoice” when lethality and war fighting come back into focus.

“I know the troops will rejoice.”

Pete Hegseth discusses ridding the military of the “woke yoke” from the Biden Administration. pic.twitter.com/YAekxplDzv

— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 14, 2025

 

Hegseth’s bid to become defense secretary was not without drama as a number of misconduct allegations emerged during the Senate confirmation process. Senators who rejected Hegseth’s nomination raised concerns about those claims, his stance on women serving in the military, and his leadership experience. Hegseth’s defenders insisted he was the “fighter” the Department of Defense (DOD) needs to get back on track.

Democrats’ pointless stall tactics are putting our national security at risk. @PeteHegseth is the fighter we need and the right person to get the Department of Defense back on track. We must CONFIRM HIM TODAY, NO MORE OF DEMOCRATS’ DELAYS! pic.twitter.com/lNZYk10Ysa

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) January 23, 2025

During his confirmation hearing this month, Hegseth testified that there was a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media” driven by anonymous sources. Hegseth also said he was “not a perfect person, but redemption is real, and God forged me in ways I know I’m prepared for.”

While the final vote was taking place, Hegseth posted on X a letter to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who had not committed to supporting his nomination until moments later. The letter pushed back on allegations by Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Dietrich, including that he abused his ex-wife Samantha. Samantha herself previously rejected the abuse claims.

pic.twitter.com/k4t74Gzwva

— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 25, 2025

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From the beginning, I have been clear about my position: if President Trump’s nominees were reported favorably out of the relevant committees, I would support their confirmation on the Senate floor absent new material information about their qualifications. Once Pete Hegseth’s…

— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) January 25, 2025

Hegseth is now the third Cabinet nominee to be confirmed by the Senate since Trump was sworn into office for a second term on Monday. The other two are Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who is Trump’s nominee to become Secretary of Homeland Security, could follow as soon as this weekend.

Upon announcing the nomination for defense secretary in November, Trump said Hegseth “has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First.” He added, “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.”

Trump also noted that Hegseth believes in “peace through strength” and said he “will be a courageous and patriotic champion” for the U.S. military.

“I am elated at the confirmation of Pete Hegseth,” Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (TX) told The Daily Wire. “Hegseth understands our military’s fundamental objective: projecting precise, overwhelming force that instills respect and caution in our adversaries.”

He added that under Hegseth’s leadership at the DoD, “We will ensure we can effectively deter our enemies and restore the warfighting readiness that was compromised under the Biden administration. I am confident America will re-emerge as the undisputed global military superpower with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth’s leadership. America is back–stronger, more lethal, and more resolute than ever before.”

House Republicans are moving forward with a new bid to rebrand one of the major airports in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to take on the name of President Donald Trump, The Daily Wire can exclusively reveal.

Less than a week after Trump began his second term and declared that the “golden age of America” was beginning, freshman Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC) unveiled a bill that would rename Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia as the Donald J. Trump International Airport.

“We have entered the golden age of America largely thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” McDowell said in a statement. “It is only right that the two airports servicing our nation’s capital are duly honored and respected by two of the best presidents to have the honor of serving our great nation.”

The bill, which can be seen here, is just two pages long.

In one provision, it says Dulles Airport “shall after the date of the enactment of this Act be known and designated as the ‘Donald J. Trump International Airport.'” And, in a second part, it says “any reference in any law, regulation, map, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the airport referred to” in the first provision “shall be considered to be a reference to the Donald J. Trump International Airport.”

Reps. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Brandon Gill (R-TX), Riley Moore (R-WV), and Brian Jack (R-GA) are joining McDowell in introducing the legislation. Reschenthaler led a previous endeavor to rename Dulles Airport after Trump in the last Congress, but his virtually-identical bill did not get any further than being referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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With Republicans now in control of both chambers of Congress and Trump serving as president, the legislation could fare better this time around.

“President Donald J. Trump, the greatest president of my lifetime, was just sworn into office for a second term after a historic landslide victory,” Reschenthaler declared in a statement. “This legislation will cement his status in our nation’s capital as our fearless commander-in-chief, extraordinary leader, and relentless champion for the American people.”

Moore said: “President Trump has been the most consequential politician in my lifetime. His agenda to lift up the forgotten men and women of America reverberates so strongly with the people of my district and so many across the country. I’m proud to be co-leading this bill with Congressman McDowell and hope to see it voted on the floor of the People’s House soon.”

Dulles Airport, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2022, was named after Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, who served under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The last time Republicans moved to rename Dulles Airport after Trump, Democrats lashed out at the proposal.

“This idea is ridiculous, but sadly real,” now-former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat running to become Virginia governor, said in a post to X. “Congress must act on pressing issues like reauthorizing the FAA and passing the national security supplemental. Yet this is what a Member of House Republican leadership focuses on — renaming Virginia’s Dulles airport after Trump.”

In anticipation of another political clash, McDowell quipped to The Daily Wire: “Democrats are all for changing genders — so why not change the name of an airport? Honoring President Trump’s legacy at Dulles is an easy decision. Democrats want to change the names of genders — Republicans want to honor real leadership, easy enough.”