Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso has raised concerns over what he describes as an unprecedented blockade of presidential appointments in the U.S. Senate. According to Barrasso, President Trump currently faces significant delays in confirming more than 1,000 senior-level appointees who require Senate approval. So far, only 135 nominees have been confirmed under what Barrasso calls a “radical Democratic resistance strategy.”
Barrasso stated that the confirmation process for even routine nominees has become contentious and slow, urging a change in Senate confirmation rules. He said, “Through dilatory warfare, Democrats have broken their ‘advice and consent’ responsibilities. This drastic a slow-roll has never happened under a modern president.”
He provided historical context by noting that during the administrations of George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, 98% of nominees were confirmed quickly, either by voice vote or unanimous consent. For George W. Bush and Barack Obama, that number was about 90%. In contrast, during Trump’s first term it was 65%, and under Joe Biden it dropped to 57%. Barrasso claimed that during Trump’s current term, none have been confirmed through these expedited methods.
Barrasso highlighted that Democrats have forced roll-call votes on more than 40 nominees for positions that previously never required such measures, leading to lengthy delays. “Today, 145 qualified nominees already approved by committees await full Senate approval,” he said. “Nearly half these nominees earned bipartisan support in committee, and many have been waiting for months. Yet all are trapped in Senate procedural purgatory.”
He warned that critical government roles remain unfilled due to these delays—including positions at the Energy Department responsible for nuclear security, ambassadors to NATO allies, the Commerce Department’s undersecretary for intellectual property, and the Central Intelligence Agency’s inspector general.
Barrasso also criticized Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for allegedly attempting to use nominee confirmations as leverage for unrelated spending requests: “This month Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tried holding for ransom the confirmation of dozens of bipartisan nominees by demanding in exchange billions of dollars for unrelated spending. The president rightly rejected his ploy. This political theater wastes time and weakens the country.”
He argued that this approach is harming the Democratic Party politically: “The obstruction effort is driving the Democratic Party further into an electoral ditch. Recent polls show the party’s popularity is sinking. Voter registration is tumbling with it. Opposition to all things Trump won’t usher a return to political relevancy.”
To address these issues, Barrasso said Republicans are considering changes to Senate rules or using recess appointments as temporary solutions: “Senate Republicans are determined to confirm Mr. Trump’s qualified nominees one way or another. Republicans are considering changes to the Senate rules to end the most egregious delay tactics. Recess appointments are also an option for the president to fill vacancies. But that’s only a temporary fix. It doesn’t fully break the Democratic blockade.”
He concluded by emphasizing tradition: “For decades, noncontroversial nominees moved through the Senate in a timely manner. Democrats destroyed this tradition by treating every Trump nominee as controversial.” Barrasso added: “The American people elected President Trump and Republicans with a directive to get the U.S. back on track. They didn’t vote for Democratic delay and obstruction.”
Barrasso serves as Senate Majority Whip representing Wyoming.
