UMVA has learned that Senate Republicans nudged a massive wave of President Donald Trump’s nominees over the finish line, clearing a staggering backlog and installing roughly 60% of his civilian picks.
The latest batch, unveiled on Monday, bundles 20 critical positions—from a dozen U.S. attorneys and several U.S. marshals to ambassadors and senior officials across the Departments of War, Transportation, Energy, and more.
Among the names is the new head of the Bureau of Land Management and former Congressman Stevan Pearce, signaling a swift reshaping of key federal agencies.
Last year, Senate Democrats had stalled most of Trump’s nominees, forcing a rare procedural showdown. In response, Republicans invoked the “nuclear option” for the fourth time, slashing the confirmation threshold to a simple majority and dismantling the 60‑vote filibuster barrier.
This tactical shift paid off dramatically. Over 400 of Trump’s selections have now been confirmed, eclipsing his first‑year total of 323 and surpassing the pace of President Joe Biden’s confirmations during the same period.
While the confirmation surge unfolds, Republicans are racing to seal a $72 billion funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, aiming to lock it in before the Memorial Day recess.
The budget reconciliation effort has already faced hurdles, with the Senate’s rules referee stripping out $1 billion earmarked for security upgrades at Trump’s ballroom and cutting Secret Service funding.
Lawmakers have until week’s end to finalize the immigration enforcement budget, racing against the looming holiday pause to cement a cornerstone of the administration’s agenda.
