White House revokes Trump's CDC pick hours before hearing: 'Big Pharma was behind this'



The White House has reportedly withdrawn Dave Weldon's nomination to head the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just hours before his Senate hearing Thursday.

Weldon was set to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Thursday to advance his nomination. However, multiple reports confirmed that the former congressman's nomination was revoked. Weldon has also had a long-standing career in internal medicine and has raised past concerns about certain vaccine side effects, which some outlets have speculated affected his nomination.

'The concern of many people is that big Pharma was behind this which is probably true.'

In a statement issued Thursday, Weldon said his nomination was rescinded because he did not have enough votes in the Senate.

"Twelve hours before my scheduled confirmation hearing in The Senate, I received a phone call from an assistant at the White House informing me that my nomination to be Director of CDC was being withdrawn because there were not enough votes to get me confirmed," Weldon said. "I then spoke to HHS Secretary Bobbie [sic] Kennedy who was very upset. He was told the same thing and that he had been looking forward to working with me at CDC. He said I was the perfect person for the job."

The Senate HELP Committee has a 12-11 partisan split with a Republican majority, meaning Weldon could afford to lose the vote of only one GOP senator on the committee. Weldon said that Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who has voted to tank several of President Donald Trump's picks, ultimately had immovable reservations about the nominee.

"I had a very pleasant meeting with her 2 weeks prior where she expressed no reservation, but at my meeting with her staff on March 11 they were suddenly very hostile — a bad sign," Weldon said in the statement. "They repeatedly accus[ed] me of being 'antivax,' even though I reminded them that I actually give hundreds of vaccines every year in my medical practice."

Weldon also made the assumption that the HELP Committee's chairman, Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, was going to vote against the nominee.

"Ironically, he is also an internist like me and I have known him for years and I thought we were friends," Weldon said. "But he too was also throwing around the claim that I was 'antivax' or that I believed that vaccines cause autism which I have never said. He actually once asked that my nomination be withdrawn."

Although his nomination was revoked due to lack of support, Weldon said the underlying actor was likely Big Pharma.

"The concern of many people is that big Pharma was behind this which is probably true," Weldon said. "They are hands-down the most powerful lobby organization in Washington DC giving millions of dollars to politicians on both sides of the aisle."

"I have learned the hard way," Weldon continued, "don't mess with Pharma."

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Senate confirms final Cabinet nominee despite Republican holdouts



Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Labor, was confirmed Monday night with bipartisan support in the Senate, completing the president's Cabinet.

Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed in a 67-32 vote, with 17 Democrats joining 50 Republicans. Three Senate Republicans opposed Chavez-DeRemer's confirmation: Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ted Budd of North Carolina, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

'Secretary Chavez-DeRemer will have a critical opportunity to put the interests of working families ahead of Big Labor bosses by empowering every American worker to join a union on their terms. I hope she takes it.'

"I'm deeply honored to be confirmed as the 30th Department of Labor Secretary under President Donald Trump," Chavez-DeRemer said in a Monday statement. "As promised, I'll work tirelessly to put American Workers First by fighting for good-paying jobs, safe working conditions, and secure retirement benefits. Let's get to work."

Despite her nomination by Trump, Chavez-DeRemer has received some pushback from Republicans.

Paul was the only Republican "no" vote during her committee vote, citing concerns about her previous support for the PRO Act, a bill that expands workers' rights to unionize. This pro-union position comes into conflict with right-to-work laws that Paul and other Republicans have championed.

Notably, Chavez-DeRemer reversed her position on the PRO Act when Paul pressed her during her confirmation hearing.

"This is the question, whether this is sort of a deathbed reversal or whether or not she is truly for this," Paul told reporters after the hearing.

McConnell echoed Paul's concerns in a statement Monday, arguing that Chavez-DeRemer had a policy record of forcing "hardworking Americans into union membership."

"The American people demand and deserve change after four years of economic heartache under the 'most pro-union administration in American history,'" McConnell said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Lori Chavez-DeRemer's record pushing policies that force hardworking Americans into union membership suggests more of the same."

"Most Americans believe joining a union should be a personal choice — not a mandate — which is why more than half the states, including Kentucky, have adopted right-to-work laws. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer will have a critical opportunity to put the interests of working families ahead of Big Labor bosses by empowering every American worker to join a union on their terms. I hope she takes it."

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Democrats carry Trump's labor pick through key committee vote



Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Labor, cleared a procedural vote Thursday with the help of Senate Democrats, advancing her nomination to the Senate floor.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee advanced Chavez-DeRemer's nomination in a 13-9 vote with the support of Democratic Sens. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and John Hickenlooper of Colorado as well as 10 Republicans.

'As the daughter of a Teamster, Lori Chavez-DeRemer knows the importance of carrying a union card and what it means to grow up in a middle-class household.'

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only GOP senator to vote against Chavez-DeRemer's nomination, citing concerns over her previous support for the PRO Act. Notably, Chavez-DeRemer reversed her position on the PRO Act when Paul pressed her about it in her confirmation hearing.

"This is the question, whether this is sort of a death-bed reversal or whether or not she is truly for this," Paul told reporters after the hearing.

"I'm going to think about her answers and think about whether or not a conversion in this last moment is sincere," Paul added.

Although Chavez-DeRemer received support from several Democrats, not all of them entirely endorsed the nominee.

“I have some concerns … but it just gets worse from here,” Kaine said.

Chavez-DeRemer previously served in Congress, representing Oregon's 5th Congressional District from 2023 to 2025, although she was ousted by her Democratic challenger in November. During her time in office, Chavez-DeRemer was regarded as a more moderate, pro-union Republican, reflecting her swing district.

Chavez-DeRemer additionally secured an endorsement from the Teamsters union, which is the largest union in the United States.

"As the daughter of a Teamster, Lori Chavez-DeRemer knows the importance of carrying a union card and what it means to grow up in a middle-class household,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a statement.

“Working people need someone with her experience leading the agency that is tasked with protecting workers, creating good union jobs, and rebuilding our nation’s middle class," O'Brien added. "The Teamsters are grateful to President Trump for putting American workers first by nominating Rep. Chavez-DeRemer to this important role.”

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Trump's Teamsters-backed labor pick pivots on pro-union position



Former Republican Rep. Lori Chaves-DeRemer of Oregon, who was nominated to head the Department of Labor, was pressed over her pro-union past during her confirmation hearing Wednesday.

During her time in the House, Chavez-DeRemer earned a reputation for being a pro-union Republican, primarily through her support of the PRO Act. In doing so, Chavez-DeRemer received pushback from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who initially came out against her nomination.

'This is the question, whether this is sort of a death-bed reversal, or whether or not she is truly for this.'

"Her support for the PRO Act, which would not only oppose national right-to-work, but it would pre-empt state law on right-to-work," Paul previously told reporters. "I think it's not a good thing, and it'd be sort of hard for me since it's a big issue for me to support her. So I won't support her."

The PRO Act is designed to expand workers' rights to unionize, coming in conflict with right-to-work laws that have historically been backed by Republicans.

During the hearing, Paul questioned Chavez-DeRemer about her past support for the PRO Act, to which she changed her position.

"The PRO Act wasn't just about organizing or enabling unions to organize, which they already have the right to do. The PRO Act was about overturning right-to-work laws in 26 states," Paul said.

"You no longer support the aspect of the PRO Act that would have overturned state right-to-work laws?" Paul asked.

"Yes, sir," Chavez-DeRemer replied, reversing her previously held position.

Because the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions has 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats, Chavez-DeRemer will have to rely on Democrats to advance through the committee, assuming that Paul remains a no vote. Although several Democrats have signaled they are open to supporting Chavez-DeRemer, she may not need to reach across the aisle after all.

When asked if Chavez-DeRemer's answers changed his vote, Paul said he was going to continue weighing her responses.

"This is the question, whether this is sort of a death-bed reversal, or whether or not she is truly for this," Paul told reporters after the hearing.

"I'm going to think about her answers and think about whether or not a conversion in this last moment is sincere," Paul added.

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Trump enjoys yet another confirmation for his Cabinet



The Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick to serve as President Donald Trump's secretary of commerce Tuesday night.

Lutnick was narrowly confirmed in a 51-45 party-line vote, making him the 17th member of Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed. Notably, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted to block Lutnick's confirmation on the final floor vote despite siding with 15 Republicans to advance his nomination through committee.

'He was an inspiration to the World - The embodiment of resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy.'

Lutnick served as co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team and has long championed a tariff-forward trade policy as well as implementing DOGE-style spending cuts.

"He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative," Trump said in a post on Truth Social announcing his nomination.

Prior to his nomination, Lutnick had spent decades working on Wall Street and securing his role as CEO of Cantor and Fitzgerald at the impressive age of 29. However, the trajectory of his career was forever changed following the terrorist attacks on September 11 that claimed the lives of hundreds of his employees, including his brother.

"He emerged from these events with an indomitable sense of purpose to rebuild the firm to honor those lost, support their families, and become a beacon of hope for those who remained," Trump said in the statement. "He was an inspiration to the World - The embodiment of resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy."

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RFK secures support from key Republican ahead of confirmation



Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced her support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

Murkowski's endorsement came moments after the Senate voted on Wednesday to advance Kennedy's nomination, teeing him up for a confirmation vote later this week. Although Kennedy was the focal point of two heated hearings in late January, more and more Republicans have indicated their support for the nominee, likely securing his confirmation.

'There is much shared work ahead to achieve better public health outcomes, and I will push Mr. Kennedy to realize these goals.'

"I intend to support Robert Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services," Murkowski said. "While there is no dispute that the U.S. spends more per capita on healthcare than any other country, our health outcomes do not reflect this investment."

"Instead of focusing on who covers our exorbitant healthcare costs, we need to reduce these costs by directing our attention to prevention and keeping people healthy," Murkowski added. "This is the appeal of RFK, and many Alaskans have shared that view with me. Chronic conditions are a significant source of illness and major drivers of public debt; he recognizes this and is committed to addressing it."

While Murkowski pointed to the many things she and Kennedy agreed on in her statement, she also mentioned certain areas of disagreement. Notably, Murkowski has had reservations about several of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees and even voted to block Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth alongside Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine.

"I continue to have concerns about Mr. Kennedy's views on vaccines and his selective interpretation of scientific studies, which initially caused my misgivings about his nomination," Murkowski said. "Vaccines have saved millions of lives, and I sought assurance that, as HHS Secretary, he would do nothing to make it difficult for people to take vaccines or discourage vaccination efforts."

Despite her hesitancies, Murkowski said that Kennedy's many commitments ultimately swayed her to vote in favor of his confirmation.

"He has made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research," Murkowski said. "These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote."

"There is much shared work ahead to achieve better public health outcomes, and I will push Mr. Kennedy to realize these goals," Murkowski added.

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Tulsi Gabbard inches closer to confirmation



National intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard cleared yet another confirmation hurdle in the Senate Monday night.

After Gabbard's nomination was approved in a party-line vote by the Intelligence Committee last Tuesday, the Senate voted 52 to 46 to invoke cloture on Gabbard's nomination. The Senate will likely take up Gabbard's final confirmation vote within the next few days.

Although Gabbard was thought to be one of President Donald Trump's most contentious nominees, she has made significant progress in securing support on the Senate side.

Following her heated confirmation hearing on the Hill, several senators expressed concerns about Gabbard's nomination.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who notably voted against Trump's Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was one committee member many kept their eye on ahead of the vote. Although Collins has a history of bucking her own party, she ended up endorsing Gabbard the night before the committee vote.

Similarly, Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana was considered a holdout on Gabbard until the 11th hour. During her hearing, Young grilled Gabbard about her stance on NSA leaker Edward Snowden, prompting a tense exchange. Despite this, Young eventually came out in support of Gabbard after she clarified her stance on certain "commitments."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young said.

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Russell Vought secures confirmation despite Dem attempts to derail nomination



Despite several Democrats digging their heels in, the Senate confirmed Russell Vought Thursday night to serve as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Vought was confirmed with the support of all 53 Senate Republicans, while Democratic and independent senators unanimously voted to tank his nomination. Vought is now the 13th member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed in just the first three weeks of his presidency.

Even with all of the theatrics, Democrats found themselves in the chamber yet again watching Trump's winning streak continue.

"God be praised," Vought said in an X post following the late night vote. "Grateful to the President and the US Senate. Incredibly thankful for all the many who prayed me through. Now. Let's. Go."

Although Vought was successfully confirmed, several Senate Democrats hysterically fought to oppose his nomination leading up to the vote.

From Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Senate Democrats attempted an all-night filibuster in protest of Trump's OMB nominee.

“We’re going to be speaking all night,” Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor. "We want Americans, every hour, whether it's 8 p.m. or 3 a.m., to hear how bad Russell Vought is and the danger he poses to ... their daily lives."

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut participated in the performative protest alongside some of his colleagues in the early hours of Thursday morning in an attempt to block Vought's confirmation.

"I spent three hours, from 2am to 5am, on the floor last night protesting the nomination of Russ Vought, the architect of the plan to destroy democratic protections and hand over our government to the billionaires and corporations," Murphy said in a post on X.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts even tried to derail the vote on the Senate floor, prompting the chair to remind her that no debate is permitted during a vote.

Even with all of the theatrics, Democrats found themselves in the chamber yet again watching Trump's winning streak continue.

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Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation advances to the Senate floor



The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence on Tuesday.

All nine Republicans on the committee voted to advance Gabbard's nomination, while all eight Democrats voted against her. Although she eventually secured unanimous support from the GOP, some senators were holdouts following her heated confirmation hearings last week.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana publicly committed to supporting Gabbard only in the 11th hour ahead of the committee vote.

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today.

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Although Collins has acted as a roadblock to other nominees, most notably voting against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, she did endorse Gabbard on Monday ahead of the vote.

“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence,” said Collins in a statement. "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," Collins added. "I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security."

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, narrowly advanced through the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning in a 14-13 party-line vote.

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Republicans rally behind Tulsi Gabbard ahead of committee vote



Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana committed on Tuesday to voting in favor of Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence. Young was the last Republican holdout left on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is set to vote on Gabbard's nomination Tuesday afternoon.

Young's endorsement of Gabbard came the morning after Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine also came out in support of the nominee. Both Young and Collins expressed hesitancy about Gabbard following her fiery hearing last Thursday but have since changed their tone in favor of the nominee.

'Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.'

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Young came under fire for his hesitation on Gabbard last week, prompting an online pressure campaign from Gabbard's supporters. Most notably, tech mogul Elon Musk called Young a "deep state puppet," likely referring to his lack of support for Gabbard.

Musk promptly deleted the post and later said that he had a productive conversation with Young, leading some to speculate that he may have influenced Young's vote on Gabbard.

"Just had an excellent conversation with Sen. Todd Young," Musk said. "I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy."

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