Senate Majority Leader John Thune is calling out Senate Democrats for what he describes as a historic level of obstruction against President Donald Trump’s civilian nominees, accusing them of delaying the confirmation process for key positions across the federal government.
“This is the first time in history that a president has reached this point in his term without a single civilian nominee confirmed by either unanimous consent or voice vote,” Thune said Thursday during an appearance on Fox News Radio’s Brian Kilmeade Show.
The delays have stalled the confirmation of undersecretaries for departments like Education, Labor, and Agriculture—as well as judges, ambassadors, and federal prosecutors.
Thune placed the blame squarely on Democrats, saying they are intentionally dragging their feet.
“Democrats are delaying, obstructing, and blocking nominations at nearly every stage,” he said. “It’s unprecedented—and it’s dangerous.”
Senate GOP Eyes Cancelling August Recess
In response, Thune suggested that Republicans may cancel the Senate’s August recess to push through stalled nominees—a move President Trump has also urged.
“As we head into the August break, we’ve got a lot more work to do,” Thune said. “And we fully intend to do it. My strategy is simple: wear them down.”
He also pointed to what he called “Trump Derangement Syndrome” among Democrats as the root cause of the delays. “They’re using every procedural trick to block progress, all because they oppose this president.”
President Trump echoed those concerns on Truth Social, praising Thune’s leadership while pushing for aggressive action.
“Hopefully the very talented John Thune… will cancel August recess (and long weekends!) in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed,” Trump posted. “We need them badly!!!”
Confirmation Numbers Improve—But Frustration Remains
Despite the roadblocks, Thune noted that the current pace of confirmations under President Trump’s second term is roughly twice that of his first—and ahead of President Biden’s numbers at the same point in office. Still, Thune said the confirmation process has been made unnecessarily difficult.
“It shouldn’t be this hard,” he said. “There’s value in members going home and meeting with their constituents, but right now we’ve got to stay and get this job done.”
Democrats Walk Out in Protest Over Judiciary Picks
Tensions boiled over earlier this month when Senate Democrats staged a walkout during a Judiciary Committee hearing. Their protest was in response to votes on two Trump nominees: Emil Bove for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and Jeanine Pirro for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
Senator Dick Durbin criticized Republican leadership, claiming Democrats were denied a chance to speak.
“Chairman Grassley blocked Democratic members from discussing controversial nominees like Emil Bove and Jeanine Pirro, shut down debate, and forced a vote without reason,” Durbin said. “What are Republicans trying to hide?”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has backed a broader delay strategy, refusing to fast-track Trump nominees who don’t have unanimous Senate support. He’s also employed procedural maneuvers to stall nominations in committee, including for some federal prosecutor positions.
Thune: “We’re Not Backing Down”
With partisan tensions running high, Thune made it clear that Republicans intend to push through.
“We’re not backing down,” he said. “This president was elected to lead, and that means getting his team in place. The American people deserve a functioning government—not political games.”
