Trump issues early challenge to GOP Senate challenger nominations

Senate Minority Rep. John Thune (R.S.D.) walks with reporters on his bid to replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just hours after Republican Sen. John Thune was named Senate majority leader Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trump presented him with one of his first tests; that announced his intention to nominate controversial Rep. Matt Gaetz. as attorney general.

The Florida Republican is one of the most universally disliked members of Congress, including among GOP lawmakers, after leading the effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. He spent his congressional career agitating against the Justice Department and was under a House Ethics investigation investigating whether he engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use, accepted improper gifts and tried to obstruct government investigations into his conduct. Gaetz denies the allegations.

Asked about his nomination as he left the Senate vote, Thune smiled and refused to answer. “That’s probably a good question for the chairman of the Judiciary Committee,” he said.

An hour earlier, Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the presumptive chairman of the Judiciary panel, also changed his mind, saying he did not know Gaetz but would look into the nomination. “Don’t ask me any more questions,” Grassley said.

It’s a familiar stance for Republican senators who have defended Trump by dodging questions about him for the past eight years; Even after Trump tried to overturn his 2020 election defeat and his supporters violently attacked the U.S. Capitol. But the stakes are even higher now that he has been decisively elected to a second term. Republicans in Congress rallied heavily around him and bet their political future on his success.

Two months before Trump takes office, he is challenging congressional Republicans to challenge him by nominating potentially controversial names to his cabinet — including Gaetz, former Democratic House Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and conservative media personality Pete Hegseth for director of national intelligence. Secretary of Defence. On Sunday, Trump even said in a post on X that he wanted the new Senate leader to allow him to make appointments while the chamber is in recess, skipping confirmation votes altogether.

“I think it’s a little bit of a test,” said Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, who called Gaetz’s nomination a “Hail Mary” pass from Trump. Cramer said he sees Gaetz as a disruptive force in the House and has concerns about “serious allegations” against him, but stopped short of saying he would not vote to confirm him.

“It’s going to take a lot of political capital to get it across,” Cramer said, adding that “there will forever be tension between the branches.”

What’s unclear is how much political capital Trump will need to expend to make his choices happen, or even whether that will be necessary. Republicans will have a 53-seat majority in the Senate next year, giving them a chance to lose a few votes.

Immediately after his election as GOP leader, Thune suggested the Senate would not completely give up its authority to review nominees but kept the door open to Trump’s proposed changes.

“The Senate has an advice and consent rule in the Constitution,” Thune said, adding that Senate Republicans will do their best to quickly nominate Trump’s nominees.

“Time will tell how this will play out,” Thune said.

While Trump’s announcement about Gaetz sent an immediate shockwave across Capitol Hill, many Republican senators who would be tasked with confirming him were reluctant to publicly criticize the selection.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the judiciary panel, said he did not know Gaetz “other than his public persona” and would “not prejudge any of” the nominations.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who was named Wednesday as the Senate’s No. 2 Republican next year, will say only that Trump “will continue to make his appointments.” “We will continue to look forward to them coming to the Senate, holding hearings, and confirming the Cabinet as soon as possible.”

“I have nothing for you,” said Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama. Asked whether he would support Gaetz’s confirmation, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said, “We’ll see.”

Several GOP senators praised Gaetz, who resigned from the House shortly after the announcement, ending the House Ethics investigation and clearing the way for his replacement to be elected before the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3.

“I’ve known Matt for a very long time, we’re friends,” said Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who was nominated for secretary of state on Wednesday but was instead bombarded with questions about Gaetz. “I think he would do a great job for the president.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Gaetz is a “smart, intelligent man” but added that “he’s going to have to answer some tough questions at the hearing, and we’ll see how he does that.”

Other Republican senators like Cramer were skeptical, without saying they would oppose his nomination.

“Gaetz has his work cut out for him,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, adding that this “should be a popcorn-eating confirmation hearing.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she was “shocked” by Gaetz’s nomination.

“I realize that the future president has the right to nominate whomever he wishes, but we in Congress have a responsibility under the Constitution and our advice and consent will lead to hearings, FBI background checks, and a multitude of questions asked in this case.” said Collins.

Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without any federal charges against him.

Democrats were appalled.

“This nomination is the first test of whether Republicans are willing to stand up to Donald Trump and act with conscience and faith rather than politics,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic member of the judiciary panel.

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) was even more outspoken.

“People voted for cheaper eggs, no matter what the f@% is,” he shared on X, referencing last week’s election.

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