Senate heads home with no deal to speed confirmations as irate Trump tells Schumer to 'go to hell'
Share this @internewscast.com


WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate left Washington Saturday night for its monthlong August recess without a deal to advance dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees, calling it quits after days of contentious bipartisan negotiations and Trump posting on social media that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer can “GO TO HELL!”

Without a deal in hand, Republicans say they may try to change Senate rules when they return in September to speed up the pace of confirmations. Trump has been pressuring senators to move quickly as Democrats blocked more nominees than usual this year, denying any fast unanimous consent votes and forcing roll calls on each one, a lengthy process that can take several days per nominee.

“I think they’re desperately in need of change,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said of Senate rules Saturday after negotiations with Schumer and Trump broke down. “I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations is broken. And so I expect there will be some good robust conversations about that.”

Schumer said a rules change would be a “huge mistake,” especially as Senate Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass spending bills and other legislation moving forward.

“Donald Trump tried to bully us, go around us, threaten us, call us names, but he got nothing,” Schumer said.

The latest standoff comes as Democrats and Republicans have gradually escalated their obstruction of the other party’s executive branch and judicial nominees over the last two decades, and as Senate leaders have incrementally changed Senate rules to speed up confirmations and make them less bipartisan.

In 2013, Democrats changed Senate rules for lower court judicial nominees to remove the 60-vote threshold for confirmations as Republicans blocked President Barack Obama’s judicial picks. In 2017, Republicans did the same for Supreme Court nominees as Democrats tried to block Trump’s nomination of Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Trump has been pressuring Senate Republicans for weeks to cancel the August recess and grind through dozens of his nominations as Democrats have slowed the process. But Republicans hoped to make a deal with Democrats instead, and came close several times over the last few days as the two parties and the White House negotiated over moving a large tranche of nominees in exchange for reversing some of the Trump administration’s spending cuts on foreign aid, among other issues.

The Senate held a rare weekend session on Saturday as Republicans held votes on nominee after nominee and as the two parties tried to work out the final details of a deal. But it was clear that there would be no agreement when Trump attacked Schumer on social media Saturday evening and told Republicans to pack it up and go home.

“Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL!” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country.”

Thune said afterward that there were “several different times” when the two sides thought they had a deal, but in the end “we didn’t close it out.”

It’s the first time in recent history that the minority party hasn’t allowed at least some quick confirmations. Thune has already kept the Senate in session for more days, and with longer hours, this year to try and confirm as many of Trump’s nominees as possible.

But Democrats had little desire to give in without the spending cut reversals or some other incentive, even though they too were eager to skip town after several long months of work and bitter partisan fights over legislation.

“We have never seen nominees as flawed, as compromised, as unqualified as we have right now,” Schumer said.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

CBO Report Projects Escalating Federal Deficits and Debt Over the Coming Decade

WASHINGTON – The Congressional Budget Office, known for its impartial analysis, has…

Johnson City Fire Department Advances to Phase Two of Cutting-Edge Training Complex Development

A new training complex for the Johnson City Fire Department, a project…

ETSU Ranks in Forbes’ Elite List of Top 100 Midsize Employers

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has earned a spot on Forbes Magazine’s…

Chicago Woman’s Lawyers Uncover DHS Investigation Misconduct in Federal Agent Shooting Case

CHICAGO – A senior Border Patrol official expressed approval for a federal…

Paris Wine Exhibition Highlights Growing Popularity of Zero- and Low-Alcohol Beverages

PARIS – Navigating social scenes in France without indulging in wine or…

Tennessee Teachers Advocate for Postponing TCAP Exams

The Professional Educators of Tennessee have called for a postponement of the…

Revolutionary Direct Primary Care Clinic to Launch in Johnson City: A Game-Changer for Local Healthcare

In a landscape where healthcare is often synonymous with complexity and high…

Rogersville Cinema 4 Revives: New Ownership Announces Renovation Plans After 4-Year Hiatus

ROGERSVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – In February 2024, the Petoskey family made a…

Israeli President Concludes Challenging Visit to Australia Amid Protests Over Gaza Conflict, Offers Support to Jewish Community

MELBOURNE – As Israeli President Isaac Herzog concluded his four-day visit to…

Activists Report Over 7,000 Fatalities Amid Iran’s Protest Suppression

DUBAI – Activists reported Thursday that the number of fatalities resulting from…

Central Florida’s Weekend Weather Alert: Rising Rain Chances as Temperatures Climb

ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida is gearing up for a temperature rise,…

Kingsport Traffic Alert: N Eastman Rd Lane Closure for Essential Repairs This Week

In Kingsport, Tennessee, a road repair operation is set to impact traffic…