Senate confirms more Trump nominees, surpassing Biden-era confirmation pace after deploying nuclear option

The Republican-held Senate approved a third batch of nominees Thursday night, surpassing the confirmation pace from previous presidencies.

Under the leadership of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), the Senate confirmed 97 more nominees in a 53-43 vote. In 2025 alone, the Senate confirmed 417 of President Donald Trump's nominees, leaving just 15 nominees on the docket.

'It’s a pettiness that leaves desks sitting empty.'

This confirmation rate greatly outpaced former President Joe Biden, who had 365 nominees greenlit through the Senate in 2021.

This unprecedented confirmation pace came after Thune deployed the nuclear option in September to address the ballooning number of nominees awaiting their confirmations over the summer.

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Thune changed the vote threshold in September for sub-Cabinet level positions, allowing nominees to be confirmed in large groups as opposed to individual, tedious votes Democrats consistently tried to obstruct.

"It’s delay for delay’s sake, and it’s a pettiness that leaves desks sitting empty in agencies across the federal government and robs our duly elected president of a team to enact the agenda that the American people voted for in November," Thune said in an op-ed for Breitbart.

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"Republicans aren’t going to tolerate this obstruction any longer," Thune added. "We have tried to work with Democrats in good faith to batch bipartisan, noncontroversial nominees and clear them expeditiously, according to past precedent. Democrats have stood in the way at every turn."

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'Blind allegiance': Thune lays into blue states passing up Trump tax relief

With major tax breaks just around the corner, Senate Majority Leader John Thune reveals the real reason Democrats are skipping out on major tax breaks.

Several blue states across the country are opting out of the major tax breaks promised in President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including provisions like deductions for seniors and no tax on tips. These tax breaks are set to go into effect on January 1, 2026.

'They are doing it because of Trump derangement syndrome or a blind allegiance to high-tax policies.'

These policies are popular across the political spectrum, yet Democrats are depriving their constituents of the opportunity to reap the benefits. Some of these states include Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Maine, as well as Washington, D.C.

The Treasury Department called this a deliberate act of "partisan stonewalling," suggesting Democrats are denying their constituents crucial financial relief.

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"This partisan stonewalling is a direct assault on the very families and workers liberal politicians claim to champion," the department stated. "By denying their residents access to these important tax cuts, these governors and legislators are forcing hardworking Americans to shoulder higher state tax burdens, robbing them of the relief they deserve and exacerbating the financial squeeze on low- and middle-income households."

Thune echoed the department's concerns, saying Democrats are getting in the way of overdue tax relief for millions of hardworking Americans.

"Affordability starts with more money in your pocket," Thune told Blaze News. "Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts so that every working family, regardless of where they live, can have more money and new opportunities to get ahead."

"It is outrageous that Democrat politicians would try to stop seniors, tipped workers, and people who work overtime from receiving this historic tax relief," Thune added.

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Thune speculated that the Democrats' refusal to embrace even Trump's most popular policies is rooted in an inexplicable "blind allegiance" to high taxes, or just plain old Trump derangement syndrome.

"Whether they are doing it because of Trump derangement syndrome or a blind allegiance to high-tax policies, Democrat leaders like Governor Mills, Hochul, and Pritzker are making explicitly clear that Democrats prioritize high taxes and regulatory burdens over the financial well-being of the people they represent," Thune added, referring to Governors Janet Mills of Maine, Kathy Hochul of New York, and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois.

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Senate tanks GOP solution to Obamacare subsidy problems

The Senate failed to pass the Republican-led health care bill as the deadline to extend Obamacare subsidies fast approaches.

The Health Care Freedom for Patients Act failed to pass in a 51-48 vote after one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, joined 47 Democrats to vote against it. 51 Republicans voted in favor of the legislation, but the bill ultimately failed due to the 60-vote threshold. Notably, Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana was not present for the vote.

The bill would also foster competition and broaden health care.

Certain subsidies from former President Barack Obama's landmark health care bill, known as the Affordable Care Act, are set to expire at the end of the year. Notably, these ACA subsidies are the reason Senate Democrats decided to shut down the government in October.

Despite facilitating the longest government shutdown in history, Senate Democrats have not struck a deal with Republicans to address health care.

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The Health Care Freedom for Patients Act, authored by Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mike Crapo of Idaho, would have allowed these Obamacare subsidies to lapse, instead directing funds to individual health savings accounts.

While this bill ultimately failed, other Republican lawmakers have drafted their own legislation to address the impending problem.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida introduced the More Affordable Care Act, which would also redirect federal subsidies to HSA-style accounts called Trump Health Freedom Accounts. The bill would additionally foster competition and broaden health care options for states by establishing the Health Freedom Waiver Program.

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The companion bill to Scott's legislation was also introduced in the House by Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger. At this time, no vote has been scheduled on the bill in either the House or the Senate.

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Republicans race to pass competing health care bill as clock ticks on Obamacare subsidies

With the deadline to extend Obamacare subsidies fast approaching, Republican lawmakers are leading the charge.

Former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act has been the focal point of health care discussions on Capitol Hill as ACA subsidies are expected to expire at the end of the year. These are the same subsidies Senate Democrats cited as the basis of their record-breaking shutdown.

The Republicans' legislation blocks funds for 'gender transition procedures' and abortions.

In response, several Republicans introduced their own legislation, including the Health Care Freedom for Patients Act penned by Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mike Crapo of Idaho.

With just weeks until these subsidies lapse, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (S.D.) will hold a vote on that key legislation on Thursday.

Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Crapo-Cassidy bill would allow the Obama-era subsidies to lapse, instead boosting funds for health savings accounts. Eligible adults under the age of 50 would receive $1,000 deposited into their HSA while those between the ages 50 and 64 would get $1,500.

It would also fund cost-sharing reduction payments and provide eligible Americans the option to purchase "bronze" or "catastrophic" health care plans. Notably the Republicans' legislation blocks funds for "gender transition procedures" and abortions.

Although Republicans are expected to vote for the legislation, it is unlikely to pass due to the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Assuming all 53 Republicans vote in favor of the bill, at least seven Democrats would have to cross the aisle for the legislation to pass the Senate.

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Other Republicans, like Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, are also introducing alternative health care bills. Scott introduced his More Affordable Care Act alongside Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (Texas), who spearheaded the companion bill in the House.

Scott and Pfluger's bill would create Trump Health Freedom Accounts, redirecting federal subsidies traditionally sent to insurance companies to these HSA-style accounts held by individual Americans. The bill would also establish a Health Freedom Waiver Program, allowing states to broaden their health plans and expand competition to offer fairer prices.

At this time, there is no vote scheduled for Scott's legislation.

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