Focus on the BIG picture.
Friday, Oct 09, 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
Economic Study Reveals American Household Water Costs Have Surged Sixty-Two Percent Over Ten Aligned Years
California Parole Board Grants Release Recommendation for Former Charles Manson Follower Patricia Krenwinkel
Federal Union Accuses Bureau of Prisons of Contempt Over Refusal to Reinstate Collective Bargaining Agreement
Texas Carries Out First United States Execution Since Botched Lethal Injection in Tennessee
Army Study Reveals Electroshock Gloves Used by Immigration Enforcement Cause Intense Pain and Fear
Healthcare Providers Exploit Loophole in Federal Law to Continue Issuing Surprise Medical Bills
Federal Judge Denies Bail for Alleged Chinese Agent Accused of Surveilling Taiwanese Officials in Washington
World Health Organization Urges Russian Transparency as Suspected Pneumonic Plague Case Alarms United Enterprise
Hurricane Isaias Becomes First Major Storm of 2026 Atlantic Season and Threatens United States Gulf Coast
President Donald Trump Faces Repeated Protests During Raucous Midterm Campaign Rally in Texas
Democrats Sue President Donald Trump to Block Taxpayer Funding for Self-Promoting Administration Advertisements
Trump Administration Explores Designating Trump International Golf Course as an Official Presidential Retreat
United States Mortgage Rates Reach Three-Year High as Borrowing Costs Squeeze American Homebuyers
European Union Cancels Sponsorship of Disinformation Conference Following Pressure From Trump Administration
President Donald Trump Claims Iran Possesses Capability to Destroy Major California Cities
United States Military Airstrike Sinks Suspected Drug Trafficking Vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Defends America First Foreign Policy During Major Address at the Acropolis
Global Oil Prices Surge as Tanker Attack and Iranian Threats Escalate Middle East Tensions
Major Universities Face Backlash Over Conservative Faculty Hiring
Political Action Committees Lobby FCC to Ease Robocall Restrictions
Trump Administration Increases Tariffs on Chinese Tech Imports
Pentagon Confirms Execution of Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Orders Restructuring of Military Oversight
Supreme Court Justice Alito Criticizes Lower Courts and Claims Knowledge of Leak
Former White House Aide Sriram Krishnan Launches $500 Million AI Fund
Trump Campaigns in Texas Amid Midterm Polling Vulnerabilities
Senate Republican Officials Seek Answers Over D.C. Housing Fraud
DOJ Expands Use of Terrorism Charges Against Domestic Protesters
Trump Proposes Designating West Palm Beach Golf Club as Presidential Retreat
U.S. Agencies Monitor Russia for Potential Pneumonic Plague Outbreak
White House Hosts AI Summit to Drive Private Sector Innovation
Senate Candidate Mike Rogers Criticizes Trump Administration Trade War with Canada
Congress Investigates DOJ Allegations of Monitoring Trump Family
Trump Announces Personal Funding of Campaign Ads Following DNC Lawsuit
Republican Leaders and White House Negotiate Border Security and Spending Deal
Supreme Court May Limit Enforcement Powers of Federal Agencies
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Landmark Climate Lawsuit Against Energy Giants
FBI Disrupts Planned Mass Shooting at Mall of America
U.S. Intelligence Tracks Potential Syrian Troop Deployments to Yemen
Democratic Attorneys General Sue Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior Over Vaccine Schedule
Department of Homeland Security Proposes High Fees for Foreign Students Seeking U.S. Employment
Trump Administration Expands Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles and Semiconductors
Pentagon Orders Military Readiness for Potential Iranian Strikes
US Issues Updated Safety Rules for Autonomous Vehicles and Truck Platooning
NASA Advances Commercial Lunar Missions and Artemis Testing
US Health Department Begins Rural Health Transformation Grants
FAA Accelerates Radar and Air Traffic Management Upgrades
EPA Prepares Defense of Clean Air and Water Rules Against State Lawsuits
FTC Expands Scrutiny of Algorithmic Pricing and Consumer Data Practices
Major Iowa Steel Plant Breaks Ground as Other US Industrial Regions Face Layoffs
×