Senate Majority Leader John Thune is proving that grit beats gridlock as he powers through President Trump's nominees despite a wall of resistance from Senate Democrats.
According to the Daily Caller, Thune is fast-tracking Trump's appointees at a rate unmatched by the last two administrations—even as Democrats throw every procedural wrench they can into the confirmation process.
So far, 80 civilian nominees have been confirmed, including former Rep. Billy Long at the IRS, surpassing the pace set during both the Biden presidency and Trump's first term. That’s no accident—it’s the product of Thune’s no-nonsense strategy.
Despite broad support for many of Trump’s picks, Senate Democrats have held the line with blanket obstruction. Thune said, “They want to block everything, even nominees that have broad, bipartisan support.”
Only one civilian nominee—Secretary of State Marco Rubio—has received expedited treatment. Even then, Democrats forced a roll call vote despite universal support. It’s a level of partisanship not seen in nearly a century.
“The level of obstruction is at a historic and a 100 year high,” Thune noted. No other president since Herbert Hoover has seen zero civilian nominees approved by voice vote or unanimous consent.
Because Democrats refuse to grant procedural shortcuts, nearly 60% of Senate votes this Congress have been spent on nominations alone. That means hours of floor time are burned confirming even non-controversial figures.
Senate Democrats forced cloture votes for at least 18 civilian nominees who received over 60 votes, including Dale Marks, the new Assistant Secretary of Defense, who passed with 72 votes. It’s obstruction for obstruction’s sake.
The result is a backlog of nearly 100 nominees, all stuck waiting for floor time because Democrats insist on dragging the process out—vote by vote, nominee by nominee.
Thune isn’t just shrugging and moving on. He’s keeping the Senate working. In his own words, he’s willing to confirm nominees “the hard way” if Democrats won’t relent.
That could mean weekend sessions or canceling recess—whatever it takes to get Trump’s team in place. “We will not take our foot off the gas,” Thune said, making clear that Republican leadership is locked in.
While Democrats block nominees who could breeze through on voice votes, Thune is also leading on legislation, moving Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” and ushering in key components of the GOP’s legislative agenda.
In addition to confirming five more civilians last week, Thune also teed up a major cryptocurrency bill and revealed key text for major tax and reform initiatives. Democrats may be playing procedural games, but the GOP is playing to win.
Thune’s effort is about more than just getting names on desks—it’s about exposing how Democrats are weaponizing Senate procedure to kneecap a duly elected administration.
While the media focuses on drama, Thune’s keeping the Senate floor rolling—methodically, relentlessly. His message is clear: If Democrats want to obstruct, Republicans will outwork them. And the results are stacking up.
