Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation advances to the Senate floor



The Senate Intelligence Committee voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence on Tuesday.

All nine Republicans on the committee voted to advance Gabbard's nomination, while all eight Democrats voted against her. Although she eventually secured unanimous support from the GOP, some senators were holdouts following her heated confirmation hearings last week.

Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Todd Young of Indiana publicly committed to supporting Gabbard only in the 11th hour ahead of the committee vote.

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today.

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Although Collins has acted as a roadblock to other nominees, most notably voting against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, she did endorse Gabbard on Monday ahead of the vote.

“After extensive consideration of her nomination, I will support Tulsi Gabbard to be the director of national intelligence,” said Collins in a statement. "As one of the principal authors of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that established this coordinating position, I understand the critical role the DNI plays in the Intelligence Community. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, however, has become far larger than it was designed to be, and Ms. Gabbard shares my vision of returning the agency to its intended size."

"In response to my questions during our discussion in my office and at the open hearing, as well as through her explanation at the closed hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden," Collins added. "I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security."

Gabbard was not the only nominee to find her footing today. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, narrowly advanced through the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday morning in a 14-13 party-line vote.

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Republicans rally behind Tulsi Gabbard ahead of committee vote



Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana committed on Tuesday to voting in favor of Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence. Young was the last Republican holdout left on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is set to vote on Gabbard's nomination Tuesday afternoon.

Young's endorsement of Gabbard came the morning after Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine also came out in support of the nominee. Both Young and Collins expressed hesitancy about Gabbard following her fiery hearing last Thursday but have since changed their tone in favor of the nominee.

'Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy.'

"I appreciate Tulsi Gabbard's engagement with me on a variety of issues to ensure that our intelligence professionals will be supported and policymakers will receive unbiased information under her leadership," Young said in a Tuesday post on X. "I have done what the Framers envisioned for senators to do: use the consultative process to seek firm commitments, in this case commitments that will advance our national security, which is my top priority as a former Marine Corps intelligence officer."

"Having now secured these commitments, I will support Tulsi's nomination and look forward to working with her to protect our national security," Young added.

Young came under fire for his hesitation on Gabbard last week, prompting an online pressure campaign from Gabbard's supporters. Most notably, tech mogul Elon Musk called Young a "deep state puppet," likely referring to his lack of support for Gabbard.

Musk promptly deleted the post and later said that he had a productive conversation with Young, leading some to speculate that he may have influenced Young's vote on Gabbard.

"Just had an excellent conversation with Sen. Todd Young," Musk said. "I stand corrected. Senator Young will be a great ally in restoring power to the people from the vast, unelected bureaucracy."

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RFK Jr. clears key confirmation hurdle in the Senate



Following a pair of heated hearings last week, the Senate Finance Committee voted on Tuesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy's confirmation will now move to the Senate floor.

Kennedy managed to secure support from all 14 Republicans on the committee, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who expressed hesitancy about the nominee following the hearing. All 13 committee Democrats voted against Kennedy.

'20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000. NOW IT’S 1 in 34.'

"I’ve had very intense conversations with Bobby and the White House over the weekend and even this morning," Cassidy said Tuesday. "I want to thank VP JD specifically for his honest counsel."

"With the serious commitments I’ve received from the administration and the opportunity to make progress on the issues we agree on like healthy foods and a pro-American agenda, I will vote yes," Cassidy added.

Ahead of the vote, Trump reiterated support for Kennedy and his health advocacy.

"20 years ago, Autism in children was 1 in 10,000," Trump said in a Tuesday post on Truth Social. "NOW IT’S 1 in 34. WOW! Something’s really wrong. We need BOBBY!!! Thank You! DJT."

Kennedy came under fire during his confirmation hearings last week, primarily over his views on vaccines. Kennedy reiterated that he is in favor of vaccines while also insisting that the science behind vaccines needs to be more thorough and transparent. Kennedy also called out hypocritical senators who harped on his health care views while also accepting money from Big Pharma.

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Senate committee to hold secret vote for Tulsi Gabbard, report says



The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a secret vote on Tuesday on whether to advance Tulsi Gabbard's nomination to serve as director of national intelligence, according to Politico.

The closed-door vote is set to take place less than a week after Gabbard's fiery confirmation hearing on Thursday. Despite Gabbard's disciplined performance, it's unclear if the nominee has the votes to clear the committee.

After witnessing the incredibly effective pressure campaign from MAGA allies, it seems that senators are trying to further insulate themselves by holding a secret vote for Gabbard.

The Senate Intelligence Committee is composed of 15 senators, eight Republicans and seven Democrats. Assuming all Democrats vote against Gabbard, she will need every GOP vote on the panel to clear the first hurdle.

That being said, Gabbard was grilled by both Republicans and Democrats, most notably about her past support of NSA leaker Edward Snowden. The bipartisan disapproval of Gabbard's past stance on Snowden may pose a threat to her confirmation being advanced.

Despite some of the holdups, Gabbard is not the first of President Donald Trump's nominees to face pushback from Republicans.

Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was slated for a tough confirmation battle after Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa began lobbying against him. While there was backroom pressure to tank Hegseth, Trump and his base led a profoundly effective pressure campaign and secured his confirmation.

Hegseth was narrowly cleared in the Senate after Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against Hegseth.

After witnessing the incredibly effective pressure campaign from MAGA allies, it seems that senators are trying to further insulate themselves by holding a secret vote for Gabbard.

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GOP senators advance Trump's OMB pick despite Democrat boycott



Senate Republicans unanimously voted to advance Russell Vought, President Donald Trump's pick to head the Office of Management and Budget, through the Senate Budget Committee on Thursday.

Despite Senate Democrats' efforts to boycott the vote altogether, Vought's nomination will now be considered by the whole Senate.

'They chose not to be here. It's their right not to be here.'

Vought's advancement comes just days after the Trump administration implemented a federal funding freeze on billions of dollars of loans and grants. The OMB announced the freeze in a memo Monday night, citing the need for a thorough ideological review of existing programs.

"The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and Green New Deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve," the memo reads. "This memorandum requires federal agencies to identify and review all federal financial assistance programs and supporting activities consistent with the president's policies and requirements."

"Financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing American priorities, focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation for citizens unleashing American energy and manufacturing, ending 'wokeness' and the weaponization of government, promoting efficiency in government, and Making America Healthy Again," the memo reads.

The freeze caused a frenzy among Democrats, prompting senators on the left side of the aisle to boycott the procedural vote for Vought's nomination altogether. Notably, Vought has not yet held a role or served in the OMB during Trump's current administration.

"They're not here," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Thursday, referring to the Democrats. "They chose not to be here. It's their right not to be here."

The administration later rescinded the memo in order to "end any confusion created by the court's injunction."

Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified Wednesday that the president's executive orders on "federal funding remain in full force and effect and will be rigorously implemented."

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RFK slams Bernie Sanders for taking Big Pharma money: 'This is not making our country healthier'



During his confirmation hearing Thursday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, called out independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont for accepting donations from Big Pharma.

Kennedy testified before the Senate Committee on Health, calling out senators on the panel for criticizing him while at the same time taking donations from pharmaceutical companies. Sanders, among them, has spent much of his career advocating to improve the health care industry.

'Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry and protecting their interests.'

RFK JR calls out Bernie Sanders to his face: “Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry and protecting their interests.”

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/jA0oaHCF1x
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 30, 2025

"All the people here who are defending this current system and defending these pharmaceutical industry profits, many of whom are taking huge amounts of money from the pharmaceutical industry, millions of dollars. ... This is not making our country healthier," Kennedy said. "We need to get rid of these conflicts, we need good science, and we need good leadership that's able to stand up to these big industries and not bend over for them."

Although Kennedy and some senators, including Sanders, see eye to eye on some health care reforms, many of them took the opportunity to instead berate the nominee and label him as a dangerous anti-vax activist.

"By the way, Bernie, the problem of corruption is not just at the federal agencies," Kennedy said. "It's in Congress, too. Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry and protecting their interests."

"In 2020, you were the single largest receiver of pharmaceutical money," Kennedy told Sanders. "$1.5 million!"

"Yeah, out of $200 million," Sanders replied.

During his confirmation hearing the day prior, Kennedy argued that the pushback from Democrats is all because of their fundamental disapproval of Trump and any of his nominees.

"All these Democrats are opposed to me for partisan issues. They used to be my friends," Kennedy said Wednesday. "They agreed with all the issues I've been working on my whole career. Now, they're against me because anything President Trump does has to be discredited, derided, and vilified."

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Senate confirms Trump's EPA pick



The Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday. Zeldin is the seventh nominee of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed.

Zeldin was confirmed in a 56-42 vote with the support of three Democrats and all 53 Republicans. Overall, 42 Democratic senators voted to block his confirmation.

'Today, the Senate has confirmed an EPA administrator who is well-qualified and capable of returning the EPA to its core missions of protecting our land, air, and water, without inhibiting economic development.'

"Honored to begin this exciting journey as the 17th EPA Administrator," Zeldin said in a Wednesday post on X. "Together, we will harness the greatness of American innovation with the greatness of American conservation and environmental stewardship. Time to get to work!"

Zeldin has repeatedly championed Trump-backed environmental policies, vowing to roll back regulations and reverse so-called "green energy" policies from the previous administration.

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who chairs the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, praised Zeldin as "well qualified and capable" following his confirmation on Wednesday.

"Today, the Senate has confirmed an EPA administrator who is well-qualified and capable of returning the EPA to its core missions of protecting our land, air, and water, without inhibiting economic development," Capito said in a statement. "Congressman Zeldin will lead the EPA as the agency addresses the environmental needs of our country, and he is committed to properly implementing the laws of Congress through collaboration with the members of our Committee."

"I have been continually impressed by Congressman Zeldin's character, and his dedication to our country through service in both the U.S. Army and Congress," Capito added. "I am confident he will perform the role of EPA administrator exceptionally well, and be a central member of President Trump's Cabinet as they enact policies and solutions to the environment, infrastructure, and energy challenges of our time."

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Dem senators try to tank RFK Jr. despite seeing eye to eye on Big Pharma



Democratic senators took aim at Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, despite their shared views on tackling Big Pharma.

Kennedy testified before the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday, where Democrats relentlessly tried to discredit the nominee as being anti-vaccine and attacking his abortion stance. Kennedy, a former Democrat and longtime health care lawyer, has a lot in common with some senators when it comes to challenging Big Pharma.

"All these Democrats are opposed to me for partisan issues. They used to be my friends," Kennedy said. "They agreed with all the issues I've been working on my whole career. Now, they're against me because anything President Trump does has to be discredited, derided, and vilified."

'The first thing I've done every morning for the past 20 years is to get on my knees and pray to God that he would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic and to help America's children.'

It appears that Democratic lawmakers would prefer to tank Trump's nominee rather than seizing the opportunity to make bipartisan progress to improve the health care industry.

"We need to figure out ways to improve care, and the current model is not doing that," Kennedy said. "I would ask any of the Democrats who are chuckling just now: Do you think all that money we're sending to Medicaid every year has made Americans healthy? Is it working for anybody?"

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have both been leading voices on the left against Big Pharma. Despite this great commonality, both Sanders and Warren berated Kennedy.

"I want to know if you will commit right now that not only will you not go to work for drug companies, you won't go to work suing drug companies and taking your break out of that while you are secretary and for four years after," Warren said.

"I'm asking about fees from suing drug companies," Warren clarified. "Will you agree not to do that?"

"I'll commit to not taking any fees from drug companies," Kennedy said. "You're asking me to not sue drug companies, and I'm not going to agree to that."

— (@)

Sanders similarly went on a tirade about vaccines, ranting about baby onesies that appear to have "anti-vaccine" messaging.

— (@)

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon has also spent a large part of his political career criticizing Big Pharma and attempting to hold the health care industry accountable, much like Kennedy has. Yet, Wyden overlooked the opportunity to make progress in uprooting corruption in the health care industry and rather split hairs on Kennedy's past comments on vaccinations and abortion.

After Wyden attempted to incorrectly paint the nominee as anti-vaccine by referencing old and out-of-context statements, Kennedy clarified his comments and called the senator "dishonest."

"Every medicine has people that are sensitive to them, including vaccines," Kennedy said. "I've corrected [the vaccine statement] many times, including on national TV. You know about this, senator, so bringing this up right now is dishonest."

Kennedy reiterated his lifelong commitment to resolving America's health care epidemic, one that he has personally endured.

"The first thing I've done every morning for the past 20 years is to get on my knees and pray to God that he would put me in a position to end the chronic disease epidemic and to help America's children," Kennedy said.

Kennedy will again be testifying before the Senate Health Committee on Thursday.

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Pete Hegseth narrowly secures Senate confirmation



Pete Hegseth was officially confirmed by the Senate to head the Department of Defense late Friday night after Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote in his favor. Hegseth is the third member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet to be confirmed.

Because Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate, Hegseth could only afford to lose three GOP votes with Vance acting as a tie-breaker.

'I just heard that we won. Winning is what matters, right?'

"Thank you for your confidence Mr. President," Hegseth said following his confirmation. "Thank you for the tie-breaker Mr. Vice President. Thank you Senators for 50 votes. This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country. America First. Every day. We will never back down."

Leading up to the confirmation vote, Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine publicly committed to voting against the then-nominee, citing concerns about Hegseth's experience, comments about women in combat roles, as well as allegations of sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse. Notably, Hegseth has vehemently denied all allegations, many of which have been made anonymously.

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who hadn't publicly commented on the nomination, also voted against Hegseth, publishing a scathing letter of disapproval in the aftermath.

"Mere desire to be a 'change agent' is not enough to fill these shoes," McConnell said. "And 'dust on boots' fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade. Nor is it a precondition for success. Secretaries with distinguished combat experience and time in the trenches have failed at the job."

"Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test," McConnell added. "But as he assumes office, the consequences of failure are as high as they have ever been."

Despite McConnell's efforts to tank the nominee, Trump seemed unfazed.

When asked by reporters if he was disappointed that McConnell voted against Hegseth, Trump said, "I didn't even know that."

"I just heard that we won," Trump said. "Winning is what matters, right?"

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Senate confirms second Trump nominee



The Senate voted Thursday to confirm John Ratcliffe, who was nominated to head the CIA, making him the second of President Trump's nominees to be successfully confirmed. Ratcliffe was subsequently sworn in on Friday morning.

Prior to Ratcliffe's confirmation, the Senate confirmed now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday. While Rubio was unanimously confirmed, Ratcliffe was confirmed by 53 Republicans, 20 Democrats, and one independent senator. A total of 24 Democrats and one independent voted against Ratcliffe's confirmation.

Although Ratcliffe's confirmation process was relatively frictionless and overall bipartisan, other nominees are facing some hurdles.

Prior to his formal confirmation vote, Ratcliffe was cleared by the Senate Intelligence Committee in a 14-to-3 vote.

"As a former director of national intelligence under the first Trump administration, Director Ratcliffe is well-qualified to lead the CIA and ensure the safety of the American people," Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska said in a statement Thursday.

Although Ratcliffe's confirmation process was relatively frictionless and overall bipartisan, other nominees are facing some hurdles.

Republicans are now expected to vote on the confirmation of Pete Hegseth, who was nominated by Trump to head the Department of Defense. While Hegseth has been immensely popular with Trump's base, he has lost support from senators, including Republicans, due to several allegations of alcohol abuse, sexual misconduct, and his prior disapproval of women in combat roles.

Notably, many of the allegations were made anonymously and have been vehemently denied by Hegseth.

With the GOP's narrow 53-seat majority, Hegseth can afford to lose only three Republican votes, assuming that all Democrats vote against him and Vice President JD Vance votes as a tiebreaker.

Two of those three "no" votes have already been claimed by Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine. Both Murkowski and Collins have a history of bucking Trump and their party.

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