Focus on the BIG picture.
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025

Trump Considers Bypassing Senate for Cabinet Appointments

Exploring Recess Appointments for Cabinet Picks
President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he may bypass the U.S. Senate's approval process to install his Cabinet picks through recess appointments, a move that would sideline congressional oversight.

The U.S. Constitution requires Senate approval for approximately 1,000 top government positions, but Trump wants the Senate to adjourn after his inauguration to enable these appointments without scrutiny.

Recess appointments, permitted by the Constitution when the Senate is not in session, allow officials to serve for up to two years.

This path has historical precedence, with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W.Bush both making such appointments.

However, since 2007, Congress has used 'pro forma' sessions—a tactic upheld by the Supreme Court in 2014—to block this maneuver, allowing recess appointments only if the Senate adjourns for a minimum of 10 days.

Trump's plan would require both the Senate and House to adjourn simultaneously.

If the two chambers disagree, the President could adjourn Congress, though this power has never been used.

Opinions among Republicans are mixed, with some supporting the idea and others wary of relinquishing Senate confirmation powers.

If Democratic opposition slows Trump's appointments, Republicans may consider recess appointments to expedite the process.

In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to express a stance on the proposal.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
YouTube Agrees to Major Settlement, Helping Fund Trump’s White House Ballroom Project
Trump Hosts Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Strategic Talks on Gaza, Iran and West Bank Policies
US and Australian Cyber Agencies Warn of Active ‘MongoBleed’ Exploitation Targeting MongoDB Servers
Europe’s Largest Defence Groups Set to Return Nearly Five Billion Dollars to Shareholders in Twenty Twenty-Five
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Trump’s Second Term Brings Major Shifts in U.S. Science Policy and Funding
Trump Says U.S. Struck Venezuelan Dock Facility in Expanded Anti-Drug Campaign
Trump and Netanyahu Hold Pivotal Talks in Florida on Gaza Ceasefire, Iran and Regional Security
Trump’s Ukraine Peace Initiative Encounters Fresh Setbacks After Call With Putin
How JD Vance Helped Ease Tensions Between Donald Trump and Elon Musk
Netanyahu Seeks to Reaffirm Military Leverage in Talks with Trump as Gaza Ceasefire Falters
Trump Meets Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago Amid Intensified Peace Negotiations and Russian Tensions
Netanyahu’s Upcoming Visit with Trump Highlights Strategic Divergences on Gaza, Iran and Regional Policy
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Trump and Zelenskyy Signal Coordinated Push for Negotiated End to Russia’s War
President Trump Makes History as First U.S. President to Host the 48th Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C.
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Trump Presents South Korean President Lee with White House Golden Key in Symbolic Gesture of Alliance
UK Anti-Disinformation Campaigner Sues Trump Administration After Being Targeted Over Tech Regulation
Australian Wheat Grows as Competitive Force in South Korea’s Milling Imports
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
Trump Expected to Name New White House Ballroom After Himself, Cementing Presidential Legacy
Man Suffers Medical Emergency Behind Trump at White House Press Conference, Event Briefly Interrupted
James Blair Emerges as a Key White House Enforcer in Trump’s Second Term
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Cambodian BM-21 Rockets Strike Thai Border Villages Amid Ongoing Clashes
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Trump and First Lady Present Striking All-Black Look in Official White House Christmas Portrait
Photographer Christopher Anderson Defends Viral White House Portraits Amid Backlash
Trump Administration Recalls Nearly Thirty Career U.S. Ambassadors in Diplomacy Shake-Up
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
TikTok Reaches U.S. Joint Venture Deal but Algorithm Control Could Strain U.S.–China Relations
Federal Marijuana Reclassification to Schedule III Could Reshape Florida’s Cannabis Landscape
White House Adviser Hassett Defends Trump’s Inflation View, Argues Data Show Price Growth Slower Than Reported
Trump Signs Executive Order to Reclassify Marijuana Under Federal Law
Pharmaceutical Industry Moves to Engage Trump Administration After Early Caution
Trump Signs Historic Order Removing Cannabis from the Most Dangerous Drug Category
Florida Supreme Court Set to Review Proposed Recreational Marijuana Amendment
Trump Transforms White House Colonnade with Partisan ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ Plaques
Trump Uses White House Address to Highlight Achievements and Reinforce Tough Immigration Stance
White House Chief of Staff Acknowledges Trump Was ‘Wrong’ on Clinton-Epstein Island Claims
Trump Affirms Support for Chief of Staff Susie Wiles After Candid Vanity Fair Profile
×