Senators plan to confirm a small number of nominees Saturday evening before a month of campaigning. Republicans intend to change Senate rules due to Democrats blocking civilian nominee confirmations. Proposed changes include eliminating procedural votes, reducing debate time, and en-bloc voting. Trump encouraged senators to take a break while directing criticism at Schumer and Democrats. Schumer's team seeks commitments from Republicans for concessions to clear nominee logjams. Some Democrats oppose the GOP's potential rule changes, cautioning about possible long-term repercussions.
Republicans have been gunning to use their majority to make changes to Senate rules in response to Democrats' unprecedented stonewalling of the confirmation process for civilian nominees. It could look like eliminating one of the procedural votes on certain nominees, shrinking the length of debate time, allowing nominations to be voted on en-bloc or shortening the list of positions that require Senate confirmation.
Schumer and his leadership team tried to use the recess as leverage. They've demanded Republicans commit to concrete concessions, such as unfreezing some federal funding, in exchange for helping clear a logjam of nominees.
Trump repeatedly called for Thune to keep senators working through the whole August recess. But an enraged post on Truth Social seemed to give senators permission to head home for the scheduled break.
Top Senate Democrats this week railed against the possibility that the GOP would change the Senate rules to confirm more Trump nominees, referring to it as a 'nuclear' option. 'Republicans should keep in mind that if they choose to go nuclear - yet again - it will have consequences long beyond Donald Trump's presidency.'
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