Senate Confirms 48 Trump Nominees in One Vote After Thune Triggers Nuclear Option
The Republican-led Senate delivered a sweeping victory for President Donald Trump on Thursday, confirming 48 of his remaining nominees in a single vote after Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) invoked the so-called “nuclear option” to overcome Democratic obstruction.
The final tally was 51-47, with the confirmation package passing strictly along party lines. The nominees — all for below-cabinet-level federal positions — included key War Department roles and several high-profile ambassadorships, including Kimberly Guilfoyle and Callista Gingrich.
Thune Follows Through On Threat
Thune had warned Democrats last week that he would move forward with the nuclear option if they continued their blockade of Trump’s nominees. On Thursday, he followed through.
“This is not how the Senate is supposed to function,” Thune said. “All of these individuals had already been approved in committee — many with bipartisan support — yet Democrats chose to hold them hostage for political gain.”
Thune quoted Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s own past remarks to make his point: “Nominees should only be blocked when there is a legitimate concern. That’s not what’s happening here.”
Obstruction Backfires
Democrats had refused to approve the nominees by voice vote or unanimous consent — a traditional practice for non-controversial civilian appointments. Republicans say the delay was deliberate and unjustified, especially given that every name in Thursday’s bloc had cleared committee review.
The unprecedented move to confirm nearly 50 nominees at once — a rare use of en bloc voting for such a large group — was made possible by the procedural shift initiated under the nuclear option. The maneuver bypasses the 60-vote filibuster threshold, allowing confirmations to proceed with a simple majority.
One Major Name Left Behind
Not every Trump nominee advanced. Former Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), nominated to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, remains in limbo after Democrats successfully pushed his nomination back to committee earlier this month. Republicans have vowed to bring Waltz’s name back to the floor before the end of the month.
A Final Trump Push
With the Trump administration’s second-term agenda in full motion, Thursday’s confirmations represent a major step toward consolidating control over executive appointments. Many of the confirmed individuals are expected to play pivotal roles in national security, foreign policy, and administrative governance — helping to carry out what Trump has called the “great American comeback.”
As one GOP Senate aide put it, “Democrats tried to drag this out. We cleared the runway instead.”