When President Donald Trump began unveiling his cabinet nominees late last year, Democrats vowed to fight his selections tooth and nail. So far, they are losing that battle and handing Trump more power and influence.
Trump’s first success in confirming one of his nominees came earlier this week when former Florida Senator Marco Rubio won the unanimous support of his former colleagues to become Secretary of State. Rubio took his oath of office just hours after Trump, becoming the first official member of the 47th president’s cabinet.
Democrats have mounted more organized resistance to some of Trump’s other nominees, but they have been met with equally determined resolve from Senate Republicans to move forward with confirmation votes.
Trump’s pick for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, easily sailed through the Senate Intelligence Committee on a 14-3 vote. When Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) blocked a quick vote on Ratcliffe before the entire body, new Senate Majority Leader John Thune responded by threatening weekend votes.
“Do we want to vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? Because that’s what we’re going to do,” Thune said. “This can be easy, or this can be hard. Everything we’re doing right now is just stalling. I don’t know what that accomplishes for you.”
In other cases, Democrats have tried to embarrass Trump’s nominees during their public hearings, only to have their efforts backfire spectacularly. Nowhere was this more obvious than during an appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee by Pam Bondi, Trump’s pick for Attorney General. While fielding one bad-faith question after another from Senate Democrats, Bondi managed to expertly display her commitment to upholding the rule of law while exposing the Biden administration’s schemes to weaponize the department against Democrats’ political opponents.
When those tactics haven’t worked, Democrats have turned to their allies in the corporate media to launch nasty smear campaigns against Trump’s nominees. Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F Kennedy Jr. has been accused of being a “conspiracy theorist” who would “destroy public health.” Director of National Intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard was called a “strongman apologist” who “cozied up to dictators.” Kash Patel, whom Trump tapped to lead and reform the FBI, has been slandered as an “extremist” and “QAnon conspiracy theorists.”
But no one has faced the full brunt of the left-wing smear machine quite like Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. In a strategy that bears a striking resemblance to the public pressure campaign rolled out against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during Trump’s first term, Hegseth has been labeled a “rapist” and an “alcoholic” over accusations of supposed incidents that allegedly occurred years ago.
The deceptive nature of the crusade against Hegseth was perhaps best captured by a New York Times story that ran with the headline, “Hegseth Ex-Sister in Law Tells Senators He Was ‘Abusive’ to Second Wife.” As popular X account “Libs of TikTok” pointed out, only at the very bottom of the article, which is behind a paywall, does the Times reveal that Hegseth’s ex-wife denies the claims.
In another similar incident, last November, the Times leaked a private email that Hegseth’s mother sent to him criticizing some of his behavior while he was in the middle of divorce proceedings. The Times spun the email as evidence that Hegseth was a serial abuser – without mentioning the fact that Hegseth’s mother sent him a follow-up email two hours later apologizing and has since gone on record attesting that she did not mean what she said and believes Hegseth has high moral character.
Democrats also tried to attack Hegseth during his hearing earlier this month, maligning his character and fitness for the job of leading the Pentagon. Again, however, Hegseth expertly navigated the malicious onslaught of personal attacks while clearly outlining his plans to bolster the effectiveness and efficiency of the military, displaying that he has both the temperament and knowledge necessary to be Secretary of Defense.
Before his hearing, Hegseth was widely believed to be the most vulnerable of Trump’s cabinet picks. After his hearing, some Republican senators who were publicly on the fence about him, most notably Joni Ernst of Iowa, announced that they would be supporting his confirmation, and he now appears likely to be confirmed.
Some Democrats were hopeful that confirmation fights would help touch off a great “mobilization” of liberal activists to oppose Trump, akin to the “resistance” movement that arose at the start of Trump’s term. But this has not materialized, and Donald Trump has never been more popular. RealClearPolitics reported on Wednesday that Trump has an average net approval rating of +12.3 percent – the highest at any point in either of his administrations.
Unfortunately for Democrats, it doesn’t look like attempted character assassinations of Trump’s cabinet picks will earn them the victory they’re so desperately craving. Instead, they may have to face the reality that it’s their own policies and politicians who are hopelessly unpopular.
Andrew Shirley is a veteran speechwriter and AMAC Newsline columnist. His commentary can be found on X at @AA_Shirley.
Promises made. Promises kept. I’m still not tired of winning. MAGA
As usual, the Demos game plan is full of holes. embarrassing themselves more and more at each round as the truth comes out against their shenanigans. Pres. Trump has selected a good plate of nominees for the cabinet positions.
When you hire a new coach you have to give him the players he wants if you want to win.
DemoKKKRATS keep reverting to the same old playbook of lies, distortions, half truths, smears, innuendoes and character assassinations to attack their opponents. The American People are wise to their chicanery and are wisely ignoring them. Only a RINO like MurKOWski would be believe their drivel and vote “No”. ALL of DJT’s candidates WILL be confirmed.
We will not tread lightly anymore. America First
Collins and Murkowski are Republicans voting against Hegseth. Also think I heard that McConnell was. With Republicans like these, who needs enemies?? Whoever keeps voting for these RINO’s need to stop!! We have enough enemies with the Dems. Yes we will eventually get Trump’s nominees cleared but it will take a lot longer if these non-Republicans keep voting against Trump.
So glad we have a majority in both the executive and legislative branches. After the next 12 years we should have the judiciary under control as well. Let’s pray for true conservative patriots running our country.
The dems may go down fighting, but they’re still going down!
VICTORY
The democrats & their what is left of legacy media are still trying to portray their agenda as aligned with the majority of Americans when the opposite is true. Their agenda, opinions, policies – all of it are not what the majority of Americans have repeatedly told them want or support. They just plow through regardless of what citizens tell them. I guess further proof that they do not now or ever did represent the majority of America.
2017 all over again. The demonbrats are creating delays in confirming DJT’s cabinet appointments and the liberal Pravda media displays its TDS by taking leaks from “anonymous sources” and spewing BS lies about our president and his staff. Thankfully the public isn’t buying their lies this time around, and CNN and MSNBS viewership has tanked!!! Finally, it’s time to primary the stinking RINOS!!!!
Those democrats still in their positions should go down on their knees and pray that the voter stays asleep a bit longer. I don’t think looting, burning and smashing as a demanding tactic will work with this administration, which those providing it realized.
This is a very informative article. It seems unreal that “democrat” congressmen would even attempt to embarrass or assassinate the characters of Trump Cabinet nominees… who were never the ones playing in the gutter. How’s THAT for hypocrisy?? I’ll tell ya… some people’s children….
I think the American people are sick of Democrat lies and their failed policies. The Democrats’ true colors have been revealed and We The People want no part of them. We want more winning! 😉
Their (demos) game is very apparent, to obstruct the people’s President that was elected in a landslide. They would rather see failure of the country than allow President Trumps cabinet to be put in place. The democrats are absolutely despicable, disgusting and replaced by their constituents. Shameful is what it is!
The Democrat Party, which long ago morphed into The New Communist Party of the USA, has but a single goal, the same goal as the globalists who control them: the destruction of this nation and the downfall of Western Civilization, to be replaced by a worldwide dictatorship controlled by them. They will do anything they can to achieve that ultimate goal. If you doubt me, I suggest you take a good, hard look at the actions of the Communists – er, I mean the Democrats – over the last four years.
The dems in the senate and house and their supporters are learning they are not popular. The people spoke on Nov 5th 2024 but they didn’t listen. Now they are finding out that the people voted against their policies and for common sense and what is good for the country. They better learn to accept that fact. Their policies sucked.
Let the left scream and have their two year old hissy fits. It just digs them a deeper hole.
If Democrats are against something, it must be good, positive and right for the USA. Go Pres Trump!!!!
Democrats need to be classified as a domestic terrorist organization as such outlawed. They are against everything America stands for. They’re only goal is total Destruction of this country. They destroy everything they touch and spend the rest of the time trying to blame somebody else. Obviously the Biden crime family Syndicate is quite real otherwise he would not have pardoned everyone involved. The entire goal of the Democrat Party is to burn this nation to the Democrat Party is to burn this nation to the ground so they can rule over the ashes. They are the epitome of evil. They have no idea what a woman is
And worst of all, OUR republican senators from ME and AK say because of rape and drinking allegations they are siding with the Democrats – when they voted for Dem candidates who didn’t know what a women was. Now in ME that is a blue state. But AK is a red state, and OUR RINOS, like the Turtle, PUT her there. They also took Trump out in 2020, and backstab him every chance they get. GET RID OF THE RINOS.
Hegseths “crime” is he worked for Fox! Once again, Murkowski & Collins… big surprise! Because these two toadies seem to believe a woman with different military physical readiness test standards is “just as capable” to kick in a door and clear a room as a man. Yes, there are exceptions and I say “you go girl!” but not everyone can… hell not every man can! That’s why they’re SPECIAL Forces not “Anybody That Wants To” Forces.
Democrats have nothing of substance to offer so they rely on lies, propaganda, and smear. They succeed in only destroying their integrity, credibility, reputation. They are all coming across as fools. This has been going for decades.