After a slow start, the U.S. Senate is beginning to confirm President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees at a faster pace.
Before Trump’s first term, it was common for the Senate to confirm the new president’s Cabinet selections quickly.
The Senate confirmed all 14 of former President George W. Bush’s main Cabinet picks by Feb. 1, 2001, including seven on his first day in office.
Even though it took until April 28, 2009, for former President Barack Obama to fill his main Cabinet, 11 nominees were in place by Feb. 2, including six on Inauguration Day.
The Senate fully broke the tradition of quick confirmations during the first Trump administration, however, taking a month longer than Obama’s Senate to reach 11 confirmations and the end of April to wrap up.
Former President Joe Biden also faced a slow confirmation process for his nominees, taking until March 2, 2021 to reach 10 confirmations, but also wrapping up on March 22; a full month before Trump’s first administration filled his cabinet.
With the confirmations of Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins Tuesday, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner today, Trump has received confirmations for 10 of his main Cabinet nominees. Trump is well ahead of the pace of the previous two administrations, with five Biden nominees and four Trump 1.0 nominees being confirmed by Feb. 5 of their first year. With Turner’s confirmation, Trump is just behind Obama’s pace for filling out his Cabinet.
There is another confirmation vote scheduled for Russell Vought, Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Budget and Management tomorrow.
No other Trump nominee for the main Cabinet has a floor vote scheduled, however. Senate Democrats seem to be selectively stalling on Trump’s selections. The Senate quickly moved Secretary of State Marco Rubio through the process but has slow-walked the process for Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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Some Trump picks, such as Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon, have not even received committee hearings yet. Trump will likely have his full Cabinet sooner than during his first presidency. He may still have to wait several weeks, however, before his cabinet is complete.
The delays in Senate confirmations over the past few administrations have shown the increasingly partisan nature of the process. It is encouraging that Trump’s highest-ranking Cabinet officials are in place, even if it will take time to confirm the rest of his nominees.