Senate GOP Push Rule Change to Speed Trump Nominees/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Senate Republicans advanced a rules change Thursday to fast-track confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees. Majority Leader John Thune argued Democrats’ delays are “unsustainable,” while Chuck Schumer warned Republicans would regret the move. The changes exclude Cabinet and judicial nominees but could clear dozens of pending appointments by next week.
Senate Republicans Advance Rule Change to Speed Trump Nominee Confirmations – Quick Looks
- Senate GOP takes procedural steps to speed Trump’s appointments
- Majority Leader John Thune calls Democratic delays “unsustainable”
- Rule change expected to allow group confirmations for mid-level nominees
- Move could approve 48 pending nominees, including ambassadors
- Change does not apply to Cabinet or lifetime judgeships
- Democrats accuse Republicans of rubber-stamping “historically bad” picks
- Schumer warns GOP they will regret the decision
- Both parties have weakened filibuster rules in recent years
- 2013: Democrats lowered threshold for executive and lower court nominees
- 2017: Republicans did the same for Supreme Court confirmations
Deep Look: Senate Republicans Move to Change Rules and Speed Trump’s Nominee Confirmations
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans took steps Thursday to alter chamber rules in order to speed up the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s stalled nominees, intensifying a years-long partisan fight over Senate procedure and executive appointments.
The push, spearheaded by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), seeks to streamline the process for confirming mid-level executive branch officials and ambassadors, many of whom have been left waiting amid a wall of Democratic opposition.
GOP Argues Delays Block Legislative Work
Opening the day’s session, Thune accused Democrats of deliberate obstruction and argued that prolonged delays in filling key positions have left Trump’s administration understaffed and the Senate unable to focus on passing legislation.
“We’re going to fix this today and restore the longtime Senate precedent of expeditious confirmation,” Thune said. “The Senate’s role is first and foremost a legislative body.”
Republicans argue that the Democratic minority has engaged in unprecedented blocking tactics, denying even routine, non-controversial confirmations that in past decades would have passed quickly by voice vote.
What the Rule Change Means
Republicans are using a series of procedural votes to change precedent by “overturning the chair,” a move that requires only a simple majority. If successful, the change would allow the Senate to confirm groups of nominees together rather than conducting time-consuming individual debates and votes.
The change would initially affect 48 of Trump’s pending nominees, ranging from undersecretaries in federal agencies to ambassadorial posts. Republicans hope to clear the slate by next week.
Notably, the proposal does not apply to Cabinet-level officials or lifetime judicial appointments, which will still require individual votes.
A Long History of Senate Battles Over Nominations
The maneuver continues a cycle of escalating rule changes by both parties over the last 12 years. In 2013, then-Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) eliminated the 60-vote threshold for executive branch and lower court judges, frustrated by Republican filibusters of President Barack Obama’s nominees.
Four years later, when Democrats sought to block Trump’s Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch, Republicans — then led by Mitch McConnell — extended the lower threshold to Supreme Court nominations.
Thune’s push reflects how both parties have increasingly reshaped Senate rules when in power, trading away institutional traditions for short-term political advantage.
Democrats Push Back: “Historically Bad Nominees”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) blasted the effort, calling Trump’s appointees “historically bad” and warning that Republicans are abandoning needed scrutiny.
“If you don’t debate nominees, if you don’t vote on individual nominees, what will stop Donald Trump from nominating even worse individuals than we’ve seen to date?” Schumer asked earlier this week.
He cautioned Republicans that they would “come to regret” the change, echoing Mitch McConnell’s own 2013 warning to Democrats when they lowered the threshold for Obama’s nominees.
Political Tensions Running High
The showdown comes just weeks after Trump lashed out at Schumer on social media, telling him to “GO TO HELL!” amid a summer breakdown in bipartisan negotiations over nominations.
Republicans argue that Democrats’ blanket obstruction leaves them no choice. Democrats counter that resistance reflects their voters’ demand to oppose Trump’s agenda at every turn.
Unlike past minority parties, Democrats have refused to allow even a limited number of quick confirmations, forcing Republicans to seek a structural fix.
What Comes Next
If Republicans succeed in changing Senate precedent, Trump’s nominees could be confirmed within days, filling dozens of vacancies across federal agencies and diplomatic posts.
But the move also heightens partisan tensions and sets the stage for further procedural escalation when control of the Senate eventually shifts.
As Schumer put it on the Senate floor: “Think carefully before taking this step.”
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