President-elect Trump and his transition team are navigating the Senate confirmation process for his cabinet nominees, with top MAGA allies adding pressure on GOP lawmakers who are not fully supportive.
Longtime Trump outside adviser Corey Lewandowski stated that they will use all available resources to target U.S. senators who vote against Trump’s nominees. Grassroots support for Trump and his nominees is driving up the intensity.
Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a pivotal vote in the confirmation battle over Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, has faced criticism for expressing hesitance over the nomination. Trump allies, including Donald Trump Jr. and Charlie Kirk, have targeted Ernst and other potentially wavering Republican senators.
The pressure on Ernst has escalated, with discussions of supporting a primary challenger if she does not fully support the president’s agenda. Other Republican senators, such as Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, have also faced criticism from Trump allies.
The warnings from Trump allies about potential primary challenges in the upcoming elections signal a shift towards a more aggressive approach within the Republican Party. The outcome of these threats remains uncertain, but the message is clear: support Trump’s nominees or face potential consequences. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., el primer nominado del presidente electo para fiscal general, terminó su carrera de confirmación en medio de controversias.
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Ha habido un intento de presión total por parte de la órbita política de Trump para impulsar a Hegseth, con el fin de protegerlo y a algunos de los polémicos seleccionados para el gabinete del presidente electo.
“Si el mundo de Trump permitiera que un par de senadores establecidos vetaran a un segundo nominado, hubiera llevado a un festín en los otros nominados de Trump, por lo que el pensamiento en el mundo de Trump fue que tenemos que defender a Pete no solo por el bien de Pete, sino también por el bien de defender a nuestros otros nominados”, dijo a Fox News un asesor de larga data del mundo de Trump, quien pidió permanecer anónimo para hablar más libremente.
Los reporteros de Fox News Emma Colton, Cameron Cawthorne, Julia Johnson, Tyler Olson y Chad Pergram contribuyeron a este informe.
Paul Steinhauser es un reportero político basado en New Hampshire.