Focus on the BIG picture.
Sunday, Jul 19, 2026

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
Ukrainian Drone Barrage Kills Eight and Strikes Russian Logistics Network
Violence Against Health Workers Hampers Ebola Response in Democratic Republic of Congo
The Ten World Cup Finals That Defined Football History
China Calls for Global Artificial Intelligence Rules While Criticizing United States Technology Curbs
Ukraine Launches Deep Drone Strikes on Industrial and Energy Sites Around Moscow
Global Markets Turn Volatile as New United States Tariff Threats Shake Investor Confidence
European Union Orders Google to Share Search Data and Open Android to AI Competitors
Smartphones Are Getting More Expensive, Sales Are Collapsing, and Even Apple Admits: "Prices Will Rise"
The Monaco Bombing Has Become a Test of Ukraine’s Intelligence Accountability
Leadership Change and Strategic Rivalry Redraw the Political Map
Energy Risk, Uneven Growth and the New Geography of Global Capital
The AI Race Enters Its Infrastructure Era
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Triggers Widespread U.S. Air Quality Alerts
Hackers Breach Colombia's Ecopetrol in Major Cyber Extortion Attack
Chinese Minister Urges Indonesia to Maintain Stable Mining Policies for Critical Minerals
Chinese President Xi Jinping Calls for Global AI Cooperation Amid Technology Tensions
United States and Iran Exchange Fresh Strikes as Middle East Conflict Intensifies
For 36 Years, He Scammed About 300 Luxury Hotels — Until He Was Caught
Stripe and Advent International Make Fifty-Three Billion Dollar Bid for PayPal
United Kingdom Brings Major Cloud Providers Under Financial Regulatory Oversight
Chinese Airlines Order Ninety-Five Airbus Jets in Eighteen Billion Dollar Fleet Expansion
Apple Opens Early Settlement Talks With United States Justice Department Over Antitrust Case
France and Germany Call for Emergency European Union Trade Safeguards Against Chinese Imports
Andy Burnham Confirmed to Succeed Keir Starmer as United Kingdom Prime Minister
United States Strikes Iranian Infrastructure as Tehran Signals Possible Red Sea Blockade
Britain Nationalises British Steel to Protect Scunthorpe Production and Strategic Supply
Andy Burnham Takes Labour Leadership and Prepares to Become Britain’s Seventh Prime Minister in a Decade
Tech Companies Want to Move Computing Off Your Screen and Onto Your Body
White House Teleprompter Operator Earned More Than $100,000 From Bets Linked to the President's Speeches
France’s Wildfires Surge Past Last Year’s Total as Netherlands Declares National Water Shortage
Xi Jinping Unveils Global Artificial Intelligence Vision and Criticizes United States Technology Curbs
International Energy Agency Warns Chinese Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Disrupt Global Manufacturing
Global Stock Markets Slide as Investors Reassess Artificial Intelligence Chip Spending
NATO Summit in Turkey Reveals Deep Divisions as United States Signals Eastern Europe Drawdown
French National Assembly Overrides Senate to Pass Historic Assisted-Dying Legislation
Spanish Prime Minister's Wife Ordered to Stand Trial as Corruption Probes Encircle Governing Party
Morocco Commits Troops and Medical Support to Gaza Stabilization Mission
Indonesia Joins China-Led Global Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization
United States Ends Flexible Visa Status for International Students
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Reports Artificial Intelligence-Driven Profit Surge
United States Supreme Court Limits Presidential Power Over Global Tariffs
United States Escalates Conflict With Iran Through Strikes and Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Zelensky Faces Kyiv Protests Over Ousting of Dynamic Ukrainian Defense Minister
Colombia Influencer Dies After Cosmetic Procedure at Unlicensed Bogota Salon
Thomas Tuchel Faces Fierce Backlash After Tactical Retreat Costs England World Cup Final Berth
A Quiet Bastille Day: France Grapples with World Cup Heartbreak and Leftover Fireworks
Canadian Wildfire Crisis Triggers Transnational Air Quality Alerts Ahead of Soccer Finale
Ebola Outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo Disrupts Critical Mineral Talks
Ukraine's Defense Minister Faces Dismissal as Protests Break Out in Kyiv
Japan and Nvidia Join Forces to Build National Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure
×