The Senate confirmation delay has sparked intense debate among Republican leaders as August recess approaches. President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to cancel their break and stay in Washington. His goal is to finish confirming dozens of pending nominees.
Currently, 96 of Trump’s nominees have received Senate approval. However, 136 nominees still await confirmation. The backlog stretches across nearly every corner of the federal government.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are weighing their options. Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed that shortening the August recess remains under discussion. Trump made the request publicly on Truth Social.
“Hopefully the very talented John Thune will cancel August recess to get my incredible nominees confirmed,” Trump posted.
In response, Thune acknowledged their conversation but didn’t confirm plans to cancel the full recess. He emphasized that Republicans must keep pushing nominations forward.
“We’re thinking about it,” Thune said. “We want to push as many nominees through the pipeline as possible.”
At the same time, a senior GOP aide revealed that discussions about cutting recess time had already started before Trump’s post. Still, the president’s public demand added urgency.
The Senate confirmation delay affects multiple departments. Open roles remain in the Defense Department, EPA, Commerce Department, and State Department. Several high-profile figures also await confirmation.
These include Kimberly Guilfoyle, nominated as ambassador to Greece, and Hung Cao, nominated as Navy undersecretary. Former Rep. Marc Molinaro was tapped to lead the Federal Transit Administration.
Despite efforts, Democrats have resisted many nominations. Thune criticized Democrats for refusing to use fast-track approval methods like voice votes. Every nominee has faced a full floor vote. Only Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed with near-unanimous support, receiving a 99–0 vote.
Earlier this year, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delayed nominees lacking full bipartisan support. He also blocked some federal prosecutors through obscure procedural moves.
As a result, confirmations have slowed dramatically. Thune stated Republicans will explore all options in the coming weeks.
“This is something we’re committed to,” Thune said. “We need to clear as many as we can.” The Senate confirmation delay now puts pressure on lawmakers to act before August.
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