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Tag: confirmation

Russ Vought offers one-word response after his alma mater deletes message congratulating him on confirmation

Wheaton College deleted its message congratulating alumnus Russell Vought on his Senate confirmation to serve as Office of Management and Budget director.

“On Friday, Wheaton College posted a congratulations and a call to prayer for an alumnus who received confirmation to a White House post. The recognition and prayer is something we would typically do for any graduate who reached that level of government,” the school noted in a post on Facebook.

“However, the political situation surrounding the appointment led to a significant concern expressed online. It was not our intention to embroil the College in a political discussion or dispute. Our institutional and theological commitments are clear that the College, as a non-profit institution, does not make political endorsements. Wheaton College’s focus is on Christ and His Kingdom.”

RUSS VOUGHT, TAPPED AS CFPB’S ACTING DIRECTOR, DIRECTS BUREAU TO ISSUE NO NEW RULES, STOP NEW INVESTIGATIONS

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is sworn in during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on Jan. 22, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Responding to the school’s move, Vought tweeted, “SAD!”

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., slammed Wheaton’s move.

“This is ridiculous – @WheatonCollege had it right the first time. @russvought is a highly accomplished alumni who should be celebrated. It’s absurd that the smallest minority of detractors come away victorious yet again.”

Hillsdale College, which also shared a message congratulating Vought on being confirmed, tweeted in an apparent response to Wheaton, “Trigger warning: We will not be deleting our earlier post congratulating @RussVought.”

Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from Wheaton College on Monday, and the school indicated that the removal of the message was not an apology for the sentiments it had conveyed.

RUSSELL VOUGHT CONFIRMED TO HEAD GOVERNMENT’S LEADING BUDGET OFFICE AFTER DEMS HOLD 30-HOUR PROTEST

“The social media post led to more than 1,000 hostile comments, primarily incendiary, unchristian comments about Mr. Vought, in just a few hours. It was not our intention to embroil the College or Mr. Vought in a political discussion or dispute. Thus, we removed the post, rather than allow it to become an ongoing online distraction. This was in no way an apology for having expressed congratulations or for suggesting prayers for our alumnus,” the school’s statement noted.

Vought, who previously served as OMB director during a portion of President Donald Trump’s first term in office, was confirmed last week in a party-line vote, with all 53 Senate Republicans voting to confirm, and the the whole Senate Democratic caucus voting against confirmation.

SENATE DEMOCRATS SPEAK ALL NIGHT AGAINST TRUMP OMB NOMINEE, DELAYING CONFIRMATION VOTE

President Donald Trump listens while acting OMB Director Russell Vought speaks during an executive order signing regarding federal regulations in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Oct. 9, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“God be praised. Grateful to the President and the US Senate. Incredibly thankful for all the many who prayed me through. Now. Let’s. Go,” Vought tweeted after being confirmed.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

February 10, 2025
Senate Democrats speak all night against Trump OMB nominee, delaying confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate stayed in session all night as Democrats delayed a vote on confirming Russell Vought to serve as Office of Management and Budget Director, a position he previously held during part of President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

In a 53-47 party-line vote on Wednesday, all 53 Republicans invoked cloture on the nomination, while all 45 Democrats, and the two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats, voted against the move.

While Democrats cannot stop the vote from eventually taking place, they are using all of the 30 hours available before the inevitable vote on Trump’s nominee.

SENATE TEES UP TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF PICK RUSSELL VOUGHT FOR FINAL CONFIRMATION VOTE

President Donald Trump’s nominee for Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought is sworn in during the Senate Banking Committee nomination hearing in the Dirksen Senate Building on Jan. 22, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

“I just came off the floor after speaking for an hour,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., noted in a tweet on Wednesday. “I refuse to let Republicans confirm Russ Vought the easy way, so we’re holding the floor through the night for 30 straight hours. Vought has shown he’ll ignore the law & constitution. I’ll be voting NO tomorrow.”

GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma has been pointing out that Senate Republicans will vote to confirm Vought on Thursday evening.

“Once again, OMB nominee Russell Vought will be confirmed at 7pm ET tomorrow. @SenateGOP has the votes. Enjoy your speeches,” he tweeted on Wednesday in response to a post in which Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., spoke about the Democrats’ plan.

‘ULTRA-RIGHT’: TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF PICK RUSSELL VOUGHT FACES FIRE FROM DEM SENATORS

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., with Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., speaks during the We Choose To Fight: Nobody Elected Elon rally at the U.S. Department Of The Treasury on Feb. 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn))

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Vought a “horrible, dangerous man,” during remarks at a rally on Tuesday.

Trump announced Vought as his pick for OMB last year.

“He did an excellent job serving in this role in my First Term – We cut four Regulations for every new Regulation, and it was a Great Success!” he noted in a post on Truth social at the time.

GOP-LED SENATE CONFIRMING PRESIDENT’S NOMINEES AT FASTER PACE THAN BIDEN ADMIN, FIRST TRUMP TERM

President Donald Trump listens while acting OMB Director Russell Vought speaks during an executive order signing regarding federal regulations in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Oct. 9, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

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“Russ has spent many years working in Public Policy in Washington, D.C., and is an aggressive cost cutter and deregulator who will help us implement our America First Agenda across all Agencies. Russ knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government, and he will help us return Self Governance to the People,” Trump declared.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

February 6, 2025
Vought sees victory on key Senate hurdle ahead of confirmation vote

The Senate on Wednesday advanced President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Russell Vought, to a final confirmation vote.

The cloture motion passed with a strictly party-line vote, 53-47. The entire Democratic caucus opposed Vought, as they promised to do.

Republicans have backed Vought’s nomination and claim he is prepared for the role since he led the office during Trump’s first administration. But Democrats remain staunchly opposed due to Vought’s stance on the Impoundment Control Act – a 1974 law that reinforces Congress’ power of the purse.

Vought told lawmakers in multiple confirmation hearings he believes the act is unconstitutional, and argued presidents historically could spend less than what Congress had approved prior to the legislation.

‘ULTRA-RIGHT’: TRUMP BUDGET CHIEF PICK RUSSELL VOUGHT FACES FIRE FROM DEM SENATORS

Republicans have backed Russell Vought’s nomination and claim he’s prepared for the role since he led the office during Trump’s first administration. (Jacquelyn Martin/The Associated Press)

Vought’s statements on the issue left Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., “astonished and aghast” during a confirmation hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC).

“I think our colleagues should be equally aghast, because this issue goes beyond Republican or Democrat,” Blumenthal said last month. “It’s bigger than one administration or another. It’s whether the law of the land should prevail, or maybe it’s up for grabs, depending on what the president thinks.”

Some Republicans have also appeared concerned with Vought’s views on impoundment. Senate Budget Committee Chair Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said last month he also shared some concerns and would disclose them at a markup hearing for Vought’s nomination.

Meanwhile, other Republican lawmakers share Vought’s stance on impoundment. For example, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced legislation in December 2024 that would repeal the Impoundment Control Act.

Lee argued that the law’s “unconstitutional limitations” on the executive branch have “contributed to a fiscal crisis.”

TRUMP’S TREASURY NOMINEE TURNS THE TABLES ON SANDERS IN TESTY EXCHANGE ABOUT BIDEN’S ‘OLIGARCHY’ COMMENTS

Some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, also had concerns with Russell Vought’s views on impoundment. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Vought’s nomination sparked additional outrage after the OMB issued a memo late last month ordering a pause on all federal grants and loans aiming to eradicate “wokeness” and the “weaponization of government” to improve government efficiency.

The White House rescinded the memo two days later, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move didn’t equate to a “recission of the federal funding freeze” and that the executive orders mentioned in the memo still remain in effect.

Democrats claimed the memo was an attempt to bypass Congress and was an overreach of power from the executive branch.

“As much as Trump desires it, the president is not a king. As much as Trump desires it, a law is not a suggestion,” Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Budget Committee ranking member, told reporters.

In response, Democrats urged the Senate to reject Vought’s nomination following a Budget Committee vote to advance him, cautioning that Vought would attempt to impound funds again if he’s confirmed.

TRUMP TREASURY PICK: EXTENDING TRUMP TAX CUTS ‘SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ISSUE’

President Donald Trump ought to pull Russell Vought’s nomination altogether, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)

Trump ought to pull Vought’s nomination altogether, or else he will “become baggage” for the American people and for the Trump administration, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters.

“What happened this week should be a lesson to President Trump,” Schumer said. “Mr. Vought will be the architect of more losing for President Trump.”

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But HSGAC Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Vought is the person Washington needs to “say enough is enough” and cut government spending.

“Mr. Vought has been a consistent advocate for fiscal sanity and has continually suggested strategies to decrease excess spending,” Paul said during a confirmation hearing before HSGAC.

OMB is responsible for developing and executing the president’s budget, as well as overseeing and coordinating legislative proposals and priorities aligned with the executive branch.

Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.

February 5, 2025
Senate Judiciary Chair Grassley slams Democratic effort to stall Patel’s confirmation

The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee slammed Democrats on the panel this week for their attempts to schedule a second confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s FBI director nominee, Kash Patel, describing the effort Tuesday night as a “delay tactic” designed to stall Patel from taking the reins of the sprawling law enforcement agency.

In a letter Tuesday night, Grassley criticized what he described as the “baseless” attempt by Sen. Dick Durbin and other Democrats on the panel to push for a second hearing, noting that Patel testified for more than five hours before the committee and disclosed to the panel “thousands of pages” of records, as well as nearly 150 pages of responses to lawmakers’ written questions.

“No one was convinced by the minority’s baseless efforts to mischaracterize and malign Kash Patel,” Grassley said. “It’s additionally outrageous to assert that a nominee should come before the Senate to answer for government actions that occurred prior to their time at an agency.”

FBI AGENTS GROUP TELLS CONGRESS TO TAKE URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT AGAINST POLITICIZATION

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is seen in the U.S. Capitol after senate luncheons on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Further hearings on his nomination are unnecessary,” Grassley concluded.

He said the committee still intends to vote on Patel’s confirmation as FBI director as early as next week.

Grassley’s remarks – and his unrelenting support for Trump’s FBI director nominee – come after the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ranking Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, urged Grassley to delay Patel’s confirmation vote Tuesday, citing what he described as “apparent falsehoods” in Patel’s testimony last week, as well as the “recent removals and reassignments of FBI career civil servants.”

The letter, signed by all 10 Democrats on the panel, urged Grassley to delay Patel’s confirmation vote until Patel agreed to testify for a second time under oath about the recent removals and reassignments of FBI civil servants; and until DOJ agrees to provide the panel with volume two of former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report that refers or pertains to Patel’s testimony or actions, among other things.

SENATE CONFIRMS PAM BONDI AS US ATTORNEY GENERAL

Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

“Given the gravity of these matters, which bear directly on Mr. Patel’s integrity, his suitability to lead the nation’s premier law enforcement agency, and his regard for safeguarding classified information, we ask that the Chairman schedule an additional hearing for Mr. Patel to explain these matters in person,” the Democrats said.

FBI AGENTS SUE TRUMP DOJ TO BLOCK ANY PUBLIC IDENTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED ON JAN. 6 INVESTIGATIONS

Sen. Dick Durbin is a Democrat from Illinois and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The letter – and Grassley’s swift dismissal of the effort – comes amid two new lawsuits from anonymous FBI agents that were filed separately this week. Both lawsuits sought to block any public identification of FBI employees who were involved in the Jan. 6 investigations into the U.S. Capitol riots after a list of agents involved and their roles was shared with DOJ leadership Tuesday afternoon in keeping with an earlier request from acting U.S. deputy attorney general, Emil Bove.

Both groups of FBI agents asked the court for emergency injunctive relief to block the names or identities of FBI agents involved in the Jan. 6 investigations from being shared, citing concerns that the probe or any retaliatory measures carried out as a result could have a chilling effect on the work of the FBI or spark retaliatory efforts inside the bureau.

Lawyers for the Federal Bureau of Investigation Agent’s Association, a voluntary professional association representing more than 14,000 active and retired FBI special agents, told reporters Tuesday night that they see the Jan. 6 request as a “prelude” to potential adverse action or mass layoffs in the bureau, citing fears that agents name could be subject to threats, harassment or targeting either by the public or inside the bureau.

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To date, there are no known plans to conduct sweeping removals or take punitive action against the agents involved.

One retired FBI agent also urged calm, noting to Fox News in an interview that the acting director and deputy director of the FBI still remain in place.

This person also stressed that the Jan. 6 investigation and the FBI personnel involved in investigating each case “fully followed Bureau and DOJ guidelines,” and that violations of federal statutes were “proven beyond a reasonable doubt in federal courts of law.”

Breanne Deppisch is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and other national news.

February 5, 2025
Tulsi Gabbard committee fate determined amid Trump confirmation battle

Tulsi Gabbard passed a key committee hurdle on Tuesday, and her nomination will now head to the Senate floor where she’ll get a final confirmation vote.

President Donald Trump tapped Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in his second term.

Some issues the nominee has been pressed on during her confirmation process are her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

‘OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC’: BIPARTISAN SENATORS TARGET FENTANYL CLASSIFICATION AS LAPSE APPROACHES

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to be the Director of National Intelligence, arrives to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

She faced questions about each in her hearing last week.

Gabbard managed to impress some Republicans on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence with her answers, as both Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, revealed afterward that they would vote to advance her.

ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY

Gabbard left the Democratic Party and endorsed Trump. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., endorsed Trump’s DNI nominee last month after she announced her changed beliefs about section 702, a critical and controversial intelligence gathering tool.

He reiterated this support after her hearing.

However, there were remaining questions about certain senators up until the committee’s closed-door vote on Tuesday. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., is one of the lawmakers that did not disclose how he would vote beforehand.

Young didn’t say how he planned to vote. (Alex Wong)

In a since-deleted post on X the weekend prior, Trump-aligned billionaire Elon Musk slammed Young as a “deep state puppet” in regard to his uncertainty about Gabbard.

But the two seemed to patch things up on a phone call soon after.

SEN. TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS

Musk criticized the senator for his hesitance. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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A spokesperson for Young told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Senator Young and Mr. Musk had a great conversation on a number of subjects and policy areas where they have a shared interest, like DOGE.”

Musk also shared on X over the weekend, “Just had an excellent conversation with [Young]. I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.”

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.

February 4, 2025
Trump Health Secretary nominee RFK Jr clears Senate Finance confirmation vote

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will advance to the next step in his effort to become Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary. The vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump sustained his bid for a cabinet position in the 47th president’s administration.

The 27-member panel of 14 Republicans and 13 Democrats on the Senate finance committee approved Kennedy’s advancement by a part line vote of 14-13

Kennedy’s controversial nomination has progressed slowly as the president’s other choices have been moving through the upper chamber and several have been confirmed and sworn in. Even Trump’s controversial Defense Secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, made it past committee and ultimately was confirmed with Vice President Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR. SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS

Kennedy survived back-to-back combustible Senate confirmation hearings last week, where Trump’s nominee to lead 18 powerful federal agencies that oversee the nation’s food and health faced plenty of verbal fireworks over past controversial comments, including his repeated claims in recent years linking vaccines to autism, which have been debunked by scientific research.

TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR. SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

During the hearings, Democrats also spotlighted Kennedy’s service for years as chair or chief legal counsel for Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit organization he founded that has advocated against vaccines and sued the federal government numerous times, including a challenge over the authorization of the COVID vaccine for children.

While no Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee were expected to vote to confirm Kennedy, the spotlight was on Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana physician and chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Cassidy issued a last minute endorsement indicating a party line vote for Kennedy.

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“Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me,” Cassidy told Kennedy at the end of Thursday’s confirmation hearing.

Cassidy’s office confirmed Sunday evening that the senator and Kennedy had been speaking earlier that day.

The 71-year-old Kennedy, a scion of the nation’s most storied political dynasty, launched a long-shot campaign for the Democrat presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House.

Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.

Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS.

Kennedy, whose outspoken views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, has said he aims to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases.

“Our country is not going to be destroyed because we get the marginal tax rate wrong. It is going to be destroyed if we get this issue wrong,” Kenendy said Thursday as he pointed to chronic diseases. “And I am in a unique position to be able to stop this epidemic.”

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With Republicans controlling the Senate by a 53-47 majority, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation on the floor of the chamber.

Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.

February 4, 2025
RFK Jr. to face key committee vote that could determine confirmation fate

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will face a pivotal test on Tuesday morning as the Senate Finance Committee votes on his nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

At 10 a.m., the committee will meet to consider President Donald Trump’s HHS pick, following his hearing last week.

The 27-member committee is composed of 14 Republican members and 13 Democrats. Kennedy will need a majority of the votes in order to advance out of the committee.

RFK JR SPENT WEEKEND TALKING TO KEY SENATOR WHO COULD MAKE OR BREAK HIS CONFIRMATION

Kennedy is Trump’s pick to lead HHS. (Getty Images)

He will likely need the support of every committee Republican, assuming no Democratic senators get behind him. No Democrats on the committee have said they plan to vote to advance Kennedy.

The HHS nominee has managed to get the support of two sometimes hesitant Republicans in Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., already.

SEN. TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS

Tillis said he will vote to advance Kennedy. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

However, he will still need the vote of Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a doctor who has expressed concerns over Kennedy’s claims about vaccines.

Kennedy spoke with Cassidy over the weekend, as the senator had foreshadowed during one of his hearings. Representatives for each did not divulge details of the last-minute conversations.

DEMS DISMISS CALLS FOR APOLOGY AFTER JEFFRIES VOWS ‘FIGHT’ AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA ‘IN THE STREETS’

Cassidy and Kennedy spoke over the weekend ahead of his crucial committee vote. (Reuters/Getty Images)

If Trump’s nominee isn’t advanced out of the committee, it’s unlikely that it will make it to the Senate floor for a vote.

Kennedy would become the first Trump nominee this term to hit such an obstacle, as the president’s other choices have been moving through the upper chamber and several have been confirmed and sworn in. Even Trump’s controversial Defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, made it past committee and ultimately was confirmed with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.

ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee for her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP)

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However, if he does fail to clear the committee, he may not be the only Trump pick to hit such a roadblock.

In fact, on the same day, Trump’s choice to be Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Tulsi Gabbard, also faces the possibility of failing to get past her respective committee.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.

February 4, 2025
Tulsi Gabbard confirmation fate to be tested with key committee vote

Tulsi Gabbard is set to test her odds of Senate confirmation on Tuesday as the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence considers her nomination by President Donald Trump.

Gabbard, a former Democrat congresswoman who has been tapped as the nominee for director of national intelligence (DNI), went before the committee last week. During her confirmation hearing, she was pressed about her past meeting with former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, her previous FISA Section 702 stance and her past support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

She notably refused to agree that Snowden was a traitor during the hearing.

RFK JR SPENT WEEKEND TALKING TO KEY SENATOR WHO COULD MAKE OR BREAK HIS CONFIRMATION

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s choice to be the director of national intelligence, attends her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on Jan. 30, 2025. (AP)

The committee will vote on Gabbard’s nomination on Tuesday, two sources familiar confirmed to Fox News Digital.

While Intel Committee Chair Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has continued to promote Gabbard for the role, at least one key Republican senator on the top committee is considered a potential defector on the nomination vote.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., hasn’t said how he plans to vote in committee.

SEN TILLIS OPENS UP ABOUT ROLE IN PETE HEGSETH’S CONFIRMATION AFTER HEGSETH’S EX-SISTER-IN-LAW’S ALLEGATIONS

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., has not said what he plans to do regarding Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for DNI. (Alex Wong)

In a since-deleted post on X, Trump-aligned billionaire Elon Musk said Young was a “deep state puppet” in regard to his uncertainty about Gabbard.

A spokesperson for Young told Fox News Digital in a statement, “Senator Young and Mr. Musk had a great conversation on a number of subjects and policy areas where they have a shared interest, like DOGE.”

Musk also shared on X over the weekend, “Just had an excellent conversation with [Young]. I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.”

DEMS DISMISS CALLS FOR APOLOGY AFTER JEFFRIES VOWS ‘FIGHT’ AGAINST TRUMP AGENDA ‘IN THE STREETS’

Lankford endorsed Gabbard last month. (Reuters)

At the same time, Gabbard has earned a number of key endorsements from Republicans on the committee.

Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., endorsed the nominee last month after she announced a reversal of her position against FISA Section 702.

ELIZABETH WARREN GRILLED RFK JR ON DRUG COMPANY MONEY, BUT RECEIVED OVER $5M FROM HEALTH INDUSTRY

She also received the backing of Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, after her hearing.

“Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 provides that the President shall appoint officers with the advice and consent of the Senate. Having won the election decisively, I believe President Trump has earned the right to appoint his own cabinet, absent extraordinary circumstances. Therefore, it is my intention to consent to the appointment of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence,” Cornyn said in a statement.

Moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced her support for Gabbard on Monday evening, saying in a statement, “After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence.”

“As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size. In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden. I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.”

Collins will vote in support of Gabbard. (Mark Makela)

Collins’ crucial committee vote was not a certainty, especially given her habit of bucking her party. She most recently did this on the confirmation vote for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, joining Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in voting against him.

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Gabbard will likely need the support of every single Republican on the committee, assuming no Democrats vote in her favor. None of the Democrat senators have said they will vote to advance her nomination.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.

February 4, 2025
Trump agriculture secretary nominee, Brooke Rollins, clears key Senate hurdle for confirmation

Members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee voted favorably Monday for President Donald Trump’s nominee, Brooke Rollins, to head up the Department of Agriculture (USDA), a widely expected outcome that clears her for a vote in the full Senate later this week.

Rollins was passed favorably out of committee on a unanimous vote.

Rollins, who served as a White House aide during Trump’s first administration and then as the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, is widely viewed as an uncontroversial nominee.

TRUMP TAPS TEXAN BROOKE ROLLINS AS AGRICULTURE SECRETARY

Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of AFPI, is seen during the America First Policy Institute’s America First Agenda Summit at the Marriott Marquis on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Her nomination earned the backing of a coalition of more than 415 farmers, agricultural, and growers groups earlier this month. Signatories urged the Senate to swiftly confirm Rollins, praising what they described as her foundational knowledge of agriculture, as well as her policy and business bona fides that they said made her uniquely qualified for the role of U.S. agriculture secretary.

The committee vote comes at a crucial time for U.S. growers’ groups and agribusinesses across the country. Lawmakers in Congress have stalled on a new farm bill and on other key priorities for farmers and industry groups.

AFTER STINGING ELECTION DEFEATS, DNC EYES RURAL VOTERS AS KEY TO 2026 MIDTERM SUCCESS

President Donald Trump speaks while Brooke Rollins, of the Texas Public Policy Institute, listens, during a prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, on January 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

They also failed to secure the full extent of farm aid and agriculture subsidies considered necessary by many groups in their eleventh-hour government spending bill passed late last month.

Rollins vowed at her confirmation hearing that, if approved, she would use her post as agriculture secretary to embark on a “fast and furious” effort to distribute those funds to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. She also vowed to combat fast-spreading animal disease in the U.S. and North America, including bird flu, which has hampered the poultry industry and sent egg prices soaring.

TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL WORKERS: RETURN TO OFFICE ‘OR BE TERMINATED’

United States Department of Agriculture Jamie L. Whitten federal building entrance sign. (Getty Images)

If confirmed, Rollins said last week, she would “immediately begin to modernize, realign, rethink the United States Department of Agriculture.”

“We understand that serving all American agriculture and all the American people means ensuring that our rural communities are equipped and supported to prosper, not just today, but tomorrow and the day after that in the many tomorrows to come,” she told lawmakers.

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Those supporting Rollins’ nomination have also praised her “close working relationship” with the president, which they said will “ensure that agriculture and rural America have a prominent and influential voice at the table when critical decisions are made in the White House.”

Rollins was not expected to face staunch opposition to her nomination to head up the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and lawmakers who have spoken out have largely praised both her experience and strong knowledge of the agriculture sector.

Breanne Deppisch is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and other national news.

February 4, 2025
Democrat Fetterman says RFK Jr. confirmation as HHS secretary ‘not a slam dunk’

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is “not a slam dunk,” as President Donald Trump’s nominee works to shore up support.

In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Fetterman said he has met with Kennedy twice in his office and that whatever his decision ends up being on the HHS nominee, it will be “an informed view.”

“I’ve invested a lot of time to really understand his background and to learn more about the man,” Fetterman said, adding: “I approached with an open mind and I watched the hearing. And that’s how the process works.”

TRUMP HEALTH SECRETARY NOMINEE RFK JR SURVIVES HEATED HEARINGS AHEAD OF CRUCIAL CONFIRMATION VOTES

Sen. John Fetterman during the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Asked if he’s reached a decision on whether he’ll vote “yay” or “nay” for Kennedy, Fetterman said he has spoken to colleagues on both sides regarding the matter.

“It’s been challenging for sure. Absolutely. It’s certainly not a slam dunk for the nomination,” Fetterman told “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream.

“I’ve made an investment to really understand and talk to all of the nominees, and I treated everyone with respect and I took the time to listen, and that’s been part of my commitment,” he added.

Kennedy, a lifelong Democrat who switched his presidential campaign against Biden to run as an Independent before ultimately dropping from the race to back Trump, made it through back-to-back grillings by the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday and the Health Committee on Thursday. He still faces crucial committee and full Senate confirmation votes in his mission to lead 18 powerful federal agencies that oversee the nation’s food and health.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., testifies during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

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Most of the tough questions and sparring over his stances on vaccines, abortion, Medicaid and other issues came from Democrats on the two committees, but Thursday’s hearing ended with the top Republican on the Health panel saying he was “struggling” with Kennedy’s nomination.

“Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., told the nominee.

The physician from Louisiana, who is a crucial vote and who has voiced concerns over Kennedy’s past stance on vaccines, asked whether Kennedy can “be trusted to support the best public health.” The senator told Kennedy, who seeks to lead key health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that “you may be hearing from me over the weekend.”

Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert Kennedy Jr. walks to a meeting with Sen. John Fetterman on Capitol Hill on Jan. 9, 2025. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

Kennedy, whose outspoken views on the pharmaceutical and food industries have also sparked controversy, has said he aims to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases.

A strong pro-life advocate, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told “Fox News Sunday” that he is supporting Kennedy despite the nominee’s past comments saying he supported codifying Roe v. Wade and abortion “even if it’s full term.”

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“I am now OK to supporting RFK Jr. because I think during the course of the hearing he’s committed to a Republican pro-life agenda, President Trump’s pro-life agenda,” Graham said when asked about those specific past remarks from Kennedy. “So I will take him at his word. I’m comfortable with what he said on the pro-life issue. He has been radically pro-choice as a person. But I do believe that as secretary, he will implement a pro-life agenda that will be pushed by President Trump. I will be a yes, but I’ll also watch every move he makes.”

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on X: @danimwallace.

February 2, 2025