2 weeks Ago
Donald Trump has demanded that the three frontrunners to lead the Senate allow him to appoint officials to his new administration without confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, as a future Republican government began to take shape the week after his election victory. In a demonstration of his political muscle, the US president-elect urged support for "recess appointments", which allow the president to make appointments while the Senate is temporarily paused, and can be used to circumvent the confirmation process, which can result in appointments being delayed or blocked. The demand amounted to a full-frontal intervention in this week's GOP's election for a new Senate leader to replace Mitch McConnell, the party's longtime leader who is retiring.
The three men tipped to lead the Senate – Rick Scott, John Thune and John Cornyn – all quickly agreed to Trump's request. It also signalled Trump's determination to press ahead with his agenda without being encumbered by congressional oversight, which is mandated by the US constitution. Trump has already given out several senior positions in his new administration.
CNN reported on Monday that Stephen Miller, a senior adviser in his first administration and a hardliner on immigration, was in line to become White House deputy chief of staff for policy. Tom Homan, a former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) in his first presidency, was announced as a new "border czar", spearheading his promised crackdown on immigration. And Elise Stefanik – a representative from New York whose performance at.
.. Robert Tait.
