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President-elect Donald Trump named new ambassador nominations and gave Senate Republicans a clear directive about cutting any “deal” with Democrats.

Some of Trump’s nominees have already been meeting with lawmakers to shore up support ahead of the Senate confirmation process and the incoming president had a clear message on Tuesday for any senators wanting to “fast track” things, such as pushing through President Joe Biden’s judicial nominations before he exits.

“To all Senate Republicans: NO DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS TO FAST TRACK NOMINATIONS AT THE END OF THIS CONGRESS. I won the biggest mandate in 129 years. I will make my appointments of Very Qualified People in January when I am sworn in,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president-elect’s post came after he announced Herschel Walker as his choice for U.S. ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Trump also named Nicole McGraw as his pick for U.S. ambassador to Croatia.

Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina told CNN on Tuesday that Trump’s nominees were “going to get confirmed.”

“I think they all get confirmed, I do. I’ve had great meetings with them. I’ve asked all the tough questions. I’ve said, ‘Hey I think the Democrats are going to ask this, tell me how you’re looking at these questions.’ So, I’ll ask Bobby Kennedy some tough questions tomorrow,” the GOP lawmaker said, referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services.

Senator John Fetterman, in a post on X, said, “I believe that it’s appropriate and the responsibility of a U.S. Senator to have a conversation with President-elect Trump’s nominees.”

“My votes will come from an open-mind and an informed opinion after having a conversation with them. That’s not controversial, it’s my job,” the Democrat wisely noted.

Democrats are taking their final shot at nominees with outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) poised to surpass the record of GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on confirming judges.

“Schumer plans to confirm those two lifetime appointment judges this week, surpassing McConnell’s 234 during the first Trump administration,” Axios reported. “Schumer has moved 20 judicial nominees through the Senate during the lame duck session.”

The Democrat leader reportedly “cut a deal” last month with top Senate Republicans “to not move forward on four nominees who lacked the support to be confirmed,” the outlet noted. “In exchange, Republicans stopped dragging out procedural votes that Schumer needs in order to confirm nominees.”

Trump’s warning for GOP lawmakers to avoid deal-making with Dems to get the confirmations through at the last minute was echoed on social media.

Frieda Powers
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