With the reality that the US Senate confirmed, by a tie vote broken by Vice President JD Vance, the nomination of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, one must wonder will there ever be FOUR Republican Senators who will stand in the way of any Donald Trump nominee?
One could argue that the defense of the nation, the protection of all Americans, is endangered by having a Secretary of Defense, who has zero qualifications for the position, and has a history of alcohol problems and sexual promiscuity, which could make him suspect of being compromised by foreign spies, in a worst possible scenario.
But with the reality that this nomination went through, is there any hope of any of the other objectionable nominees being stopped?
Tulsi Gabbard is a real security risk if she becomes Director of National Intelligence.
Kash Patel is a danger if he is made head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the next decade, the worst possible nominee since J. Edgar Hoover passed away in 1972.
And Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, a true loose cannon with drug and alcohol problems and delusional behavior and beliefs, is a massive threat to the health and safety of 340 million Americans, with his anti vaccine lunacy and denial of basic science.
So the question arises: Can four Republican Senators be counted upon to reject any or all of these controversial nominees?
One would hope Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins might follow through, but can they be expected to reject all three of these controversial nominees?
Can Mitch McConnell do so as well, considering his concerns about national security and foreign policy, and his having had polio as a child?
But will anyone else, such as Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who is a doctor and has expressed concern about RFK Jr’s crazy views on public health?
What about John Curtis, the new Utah Senator who replaced Mitt Romney, and was thought to be a likely vote to oppose Hegseth, but did not do so?
What about James Lankford of Oklahoma, who had been a co-sponsor of immigration legislation in 2024 that Trump convinced Republicans to refuse to support?
What about Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who wavered on Hegseth and ended up supporting him in the end?
And then, there are rumors that Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania might support one of more of these three controversial nominees, and even, crazily, that Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse might support RFK Jr, who was a college friend decades ago.
Krisiti “puppy killer” Noem was confirmed by the Senate today in a 59-34 vote. Seven Democrats voted for her.
https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/kristi-noem-confirmed-trump-homeland-security-secretary-rcna188811
Here are the 7 Democrats who voted for Noem:
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5106903-democratic-senators-kristi-noem-homeland-security/
Democrats at a crossroads over how best to do battle with Trump, Republicans.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/25/house-democrats-trump-agenda/
This nails it!
https://digbysblog.net/2025/01/26/stop-helping-him/
Kristi Noem is a disgrace on multiple levels, and no Democrat should have voted for her.
I’m disappointed with both of my Democratic Senators.
One helped to pass the Laken Riley Act.
Progress Pond has some information about the Lake Riley Act: https://www.progresspond.com/2025/01/21/day-one-fascist-regime-gets-laken-riley-act/
The other voted for Kristi Noem.
The Senate confirmed Scott Bessent to lead the Treasury Department in a 68-29 vote today.
The Senate voted 77-22 Tuesday to confirm Sean Duffy as head of the Department of Transportation.
Caroline Kennedy warns of ‘predator’ RFK Jr. in searing letter, video
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/28/kennedy-lettor-rfk/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzM4MDQwNDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzM5NDIyNzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MzgwNDA0MDAsImp0aSI6ImZhNmJjNWE5LTg3OTEtNDQyZC1hMGU3LTUxZmJhMDIyY2UzZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDI1LzAxLzI4L2tlbm5lZHktbGV0dG9yLXJmay8ifQ.fW4r9jt8DqylCfb5j_rzlwhNhNQfMJ2GaIAA7wUH7mU
RFK Jr. sounds like a sadistic, warped individual who desperately needs help.
RFK Jr. is being grilled this morning. He can’t even answer a basic yes or no question.
Not only are his views loony, he doesn’t understand how healthcare programs he’ll be overseeing, such as Medicaid, works.
RFK Jr. will just do whatever Trump tells him to do.
The Senate voted 56-42 to confirm Lee Zeldin as head of EPA.
Hegseth revokes security detail for Gen. Mark Milley and orders investigation into the Trump critic.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/28/politics/mark-milley-security-detail-pulled/index.html
RFK Jr. has some more grilling today. Also being grilled today are Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard.
This exchange between Bernie Sanders and RFK Jr. sums up RFK Jr.’s hearing yesterday.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/01/trump-robert-f-kennedy-bernie-sanders-onesie-confirmation-hearing.html
Billionaire Oil Ally Doug Burgum Confirmed As Trump’s Interior Chief
The former North Dakota governor will play a key role in carrying out President Donald Trump’s pro-fossil-fuel, anti-renewable-energy vision.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/doug-burgum-confirmed-interior-secretary-trump_n_678a7c32e4b0136121900262?utm_source=buzzfeed&utm_medium=iframely
The Senate voted to confirm Chris Wright to serve as Secretary of Energy.
The vote was 59-38.
Susan Collins is expressing support for Tulsi Gabbard.
Collins is beyond pathetic – and absolutely needs to be defeated when she’s up for election in 2026. Total disgrace.
Senator Bill Cassidy said on social media he will vote yes on RFK Jr.’s nomination.
Trump nominates Neil Jacobs to head up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Jacobs led the agency on an acting basis during Trump’s first term.
Jacobs, a computer modeling expert, could face attempts to disband the agency — a recommendation put forward in Project 2025. Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick for commerce chief, said in his confirmation hearing he supposedly supports maintaining NOAA and its responsibilities.
Most employees at the Department of Commerce, including NOAA, received information about the so-called federal employee buyout formally known as the “deferred resignation program” — essentially an exit package — on Monday afternoon
The Senate confirmed former Rep. Doug Collins to be secretary of veterans affairs, 77-23.
The Senate confirmed Pam Bondi today. Democratic Senator John Fetterman joined the Republicans in voting for her.