Marco alone: Trump might conclude Day 1 with a solitary Cabinet member
It seems that Rubio is the only individual currently slated for a confirmation on January 20.
TroibNews 
President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees are currently making their way through Senate confirmation hearings with relative ease, though only one seems likely to secure a swift vote on Trump’s first day in office.
That nominee is Marco Rubio, the Florida senator chosen for the position of secretary of State, who stands as the only Trump appointee being widely considered for a Day One vote.
However, the situation remains fluid. According to Senate rules and the existing calendar, all 100 senators must consent to expedite any final confirmation vote scheduled for Monday. Discussions about this, multiple senators noted Thursday, are ongoing.
Hiccups in the process stem from a mix of procedural, political, and documentation issues. Several nominees have had their hearings delayed due to incomplete background checks. Certain committees have postponed necessary votes because of internal regulations. Additionally, Democrats are unlikely to concede debate time concerning Trump’s most contentious nominees.
Despite these challenges, Rubio appears to be in the strongest position for a smooth path forward. Senate Foreign Relations Chair Jim Risch has arranged a committee vote on his nomination for Monday, indicating Republicans “believe” they’ll reach an agreement for a quick floor vote, though he refrained from confirming a commitment.
“How could you not? This guy is the gold standard,” Risch remarked in a short interview.
Likewise, Senate Majority Leader John Thune echoed similar sentiments, confirming that “discussions” regarding Rubio are in progress but provided no additional details.
Various factors are contributing to Rubio's favorable standing among the nominees. Most notably, Rubio is a member of the Senate itself, and a significant number of Democrats have already indicated their support for him.
Conversely, some Democrats are hesitant to provide Republicans with greater assistance than what they received during the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet picks on January 20, 2021, when only Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was confirmed that day. In contrast, Senate Democrats had allowed two Cabinet confirmations for Trump in 2017: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
“Were Republicans accommodating?” asked Sen. Chris Murphy when questioned about whether Democrats would allow expedited confirmations for Trump’s less controversial nominees. “When Republicans change tradition and precedent here, they have to understand that comes with consequences.”
Several Democrats have stated that they are relying on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to decide whether to accelerate Rubio's confirmation or those of other nominees, including prominent supporters like Minority Whip Dick Durbin.
Schumer’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to Rubio, nine other Trump Cabinet nominees have undergone hearings this week, with another, Homeland Security candidate Kristi Noem, scheduled for Friday.
Each nominee must go through a committee vote before being eligible for floor consideration. Some committees have notice requirements that may delay these votes until late next week, and once nominations reach the floor, opponents can stretch the debate out for as many as four days.
For example, Defense nominee Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. The committee is anticipated to hold a vote on his nomination Monday evening, but Democrats are not expected to agree to an immediate floor vote due to the contentious nature of his nomination.
“I expect our Democratic friends will delay it to the extent to which they are free to do under the rules,” stated Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker. “Wednesday, Thursday perhaps."
“We've made it clear we feel that there's more information that should be provided, and not just for our benefit, but for our Republican colleagues too,” added Sen. Jack Reed, the top Armed Services Democrat.
Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi will likely not see confirmation until the following week, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley's timeline shared Thursday. This is due to the Democrats on the panel having the ability to request a one-week delay for any nominee coming before the committee, a scenario expected to arise during the initial panel meeting next week.
Another Trump nominee anticipated to receive Democratic backing, UN ambassador pick Elise Stefanik, will not have a hearing until Tuesday. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s most controversial nominees — including FBI director pick Kash Patel, HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence — have yet to have hearings scheduled.
If anyone is likely to follow closely behind Rubio, it might be John Ratcliffe, Trump’s choice to head the CIA, who had his hearing on Wednesday and faces a committee vote on Monday. He, too, is expected to garner bipartisan support that could facilitate his confirmation, even if not on January 20.
Hailey Fuchs, Joe Gould, and Connor O’Brien contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
That nominee is Marco Rubio, the Florida senator chosen for the position of secretary of State, who stands as the only Trump appointee being widely considered for a Day One vote.
However, the situation remains fluid. According to Senate rules and the existing calendar, all 100 senators must consent to expedite any final confirmation vote scheduled for Monday. Discussions about this, multiple senators noted Thursday, are ongoing.
Hiccups in the process stem from a mix of procedural, political, and documentation issues. Several nominees have had their hearings delayed due to incomplete background checks. Certain committees have postponed necessary votes because of internal regulations. Additionally, Democrats are unlikely to concede debate time concerning Trump’s most contentious nominees.
Despite these challenges, Rubio appears to be in the strongest position for a smooth path forward. Senate Foreign Relations Chair Jim Risch has arranged a committee vote on his nomination for Monday, indicating Republicans “believe” they’ll reach an agreement for a quick floor vote, though he refrained from confirming a commitment.
“How could you not? This guy is the gold standard,” Risch remarked in a short interview.
Likewise, Senate Majority Leader John Thune echoed similar sentiments, confirming that “discussions” regarding Rubio are in progress but provided no additional details.
Various factors are contributing to Rubio's favorable standing among the nominees. Most notably, Rubio is a member of the Senate itself, and a significant number of Democrats have already indicated their support for him.
Conversely, some Democrats are hesitant to provide Republicans with greater assistance than what they received during the confirmation of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet picks on January 20, 2021, when only Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was confirmed that day. In contrast, Senate Democrats had allowed two Cabinet confirmations for Trump in 2017: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
“Were Republicans accommodating?” asked Sen. Chris Murphy when questioned about whether Democrats would allow expedited confirmations for Trump’s less controversial nominees. “When Republicans change tradition and precedent here, they have to understand that comes with consequences.”
Several Democrats have stated that they are relying on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to decide whether to accelerate Rubio's confirmation or those of other nominees, including prominent supporters like Minority Whip Dick Durbin.
Schumer’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
In addition to Rubio, nine other Trump Cabinet nominees have undergone hearings this week, with another, Homeland Security candidate Kristi Noem, scheduled for Friday.
Each nominee must go through a committee vote before being eligible for floor consideration. Some committees have notice requirements that may delay these votes until late next week, and once nominations reach the floor, opponents can stretch the debate out for as many as four days.
For example, Defense nominee Pete Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. The committee is anticipated to hold a vote on his nomination Monday evening, but Democrats are not expected to agree to an immediate floor vote due to the contentious nature of his nomination.
“I expect our Democratic friends will delay it to the extent to which they are free to do under the rules,” stated Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker. “Wednesday, Thursday perhaps."
“We've made it clear we feel that there's more information that should be provided, and not just for our benefit, but for our Republican colleagues too,” added Sen. Jack Reed, the top Armed Services Democrat.
Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi will likely not see confirmation until the following week, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley's timeline shared Thursday. This is due to the Democrats on the panel having the ability to request a one-week delay for any nominee coming before the committee, a scenario expected to arise during the initial panel meeting next week.
Another Trump nominee anticipated to receive Democratic backing, UN ambassador pick Elise Stefanik, will not have a hearing until Tuesday. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s most controversial nominees — including FBI director pick Kash Patel, HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence — have yet to have hearings scheduled.
If anyone is likely to follow closely behind Rubio, it might be John Ratcliffe, Trump’s choice to head the CIA, who had his hearing on Wednesday and faces a committee vote on Monday. He, too, is expected to garner bipartisan support that could facilitate his confirmation, even if not on January 20.
Hailey Fuchs, Joe Gould, and Connor O’Brien contributed to this report.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
