Tulsi Gabbard received Senate affirmation as director of nationwide intelligence Wednesday and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. additionally neared approval as President Trump continued to rack up cupboard wins.
Gabbard, as soon as thought-about a protracted shot for approval, received approval by a 52-48 vote with all Republican senators aside from Sen. Mitch McConnell supporting her bid.
RFK Jr., in the meantime, seems to be set to win last approval quickly as he was poised to win a procedural vote with overwhelming GOP help.
President Donald Trump provides a thumbs-up as Jordan’s King Abdullah II departs the White Home on Tuesday in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Pictures)
The dual victories mark the newest in a collection of wins for Trump as he has largely succeeded in pushing his unconventional workforce over the road regardless of questions on lots of them.
Thus far, the one stumble was his effort to put in ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz as legal professional normal, a nomination that rapidly collapsed final yr amid allegations of drug-fueled events and intercourse with an underage woman.
A former progressive Home Democrat, Gabbard was as soon as thought-about one in every of Trump’s most contentious nominees, with main questions over her previous feedback sympathetic to authorities leaker Edward Snowden and Russia in addition to a chummy assembly with Syria’s now-ousted dictator Bashir al-Assad.
She endured a rocky affirmation listening to at which a number of Republican senators appeared dissatisfied together with her solutions, significantly her refusal to sentence Snowden as a traitor.
However the GOP lawmakers put aside their misgivings and obtained in line behind Gabbard because the White Home began to twist arms. McConnell, the typically critic of Trump who doesn’t plan to run for reelection, was the one one to buck the social gathering line vote.
“If we had a secret ballot, Gabbard might get 10 votes,” Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer mentioned earlier than her affirmation vote.
In the meantime, Kennedy, a strident anti-vaccine activist, additionally gave the impression to be on a surprisingly easy path to affirmation after he was anticipated to win a procedural vote Wednesday.
He could possibly be confirmed as early as Thursday with solely two Republicans, McConnell and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) nonetheless remaining on the fence on his bid.
RFK Jr. himself mentioned final summer season that he doubted he could possibly be confirmed by the Senate due to his skepticism about vaccines alongside together with his harsh criticism of American meals processing firms.
His help for abortion rights was additionally a possible stumbling block for some conservative Republicans.
Like Gabbard, RFK obtained blended critiques for his affirmation listening to efficiency. He appeared confused concerning the distinction between Medicaid and Medicare, two sprawling packages he’ll oversee in his new function, and did not successfully rebut his previous statements about vaccines.
However the White Home succeeded in profitable over nearly all Republicans, together with Sen. Invoice Cassidy (R-Louisiana), a medical physician who appeared annoyed with Kennedy’s refusal to just accept the scientifically undeniable fact that vaccines don’t trigger autism.
Initially Revealed: February 12, 2025 at 12:21 PM EST
