Trump tells next Senate GOP leader to skip confirmations

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and other Senate GOP leaders

Recess appointments have been effectively blocked since a Supreme Court ruling in 2014

(Image credit: Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

published 11 November 2024

What happened

President-elect Donald Trump Sunday weighed into the race for Senate Republican leader, saying any senator who wanted the "coveted" position "must agree to recess appointments" — allowing Trump to appoint Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking officials for up to two years without Senate confirmation. All three candidates for the position quickly backed the idea. The next GOP leader will become Senate majority leader in January when Republicans take control of the Senate.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), previously a long-shot candidate to replace longtime GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), was first to jump in, telling Trump on X he would "100%" do "whatever it takes to get your nominations through as quickly as possible." That earned Scott a quick endorsement from X owner Elon Musk, now a close Trump ally. The Florida senator also won the recent backing of several other right-wing influencers and Trump allies, including four senate colleagues.

Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) agreed in short order that Trump should get his appointments quickly, that Democrats shouldn't be able to block Trump's picks and that recess appointments were on the table. That signaled a "notable support for expansion of presidential power, even for a leader in the same party as the president-elect," CNN said. Recess appointments have been effectively blocked since the Supreme Court ruled in 2014 that presidents can only use that power when the Senate is out of session for 10 days.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.