Thune plans to introduce new rule to bypass Democrat obstruction of Trump nominees

 September 9, 2025

Senate Republicans are gearing up for a showdown over rules that could finally get President Donald Trump’s team in place.

Newsmax reported that  Senate Majority Leader John Thune is pushing to overhaul Senate procedures to fast-track confirmations of dozens of Trump’s executive branch nominees, a move prompted by relentless Democratic delays.

Let’s rewind a bit to early August, when bipartisan talks on nominations collapsed faster than a house of cards in a windstorm. Republicans, frustrated after a monthlong recess yielded no progress, began hashing out plans to change the game.

Since then, Democrats have stonewalled nearly every single Trump pick, a historic level of obstruction that’s left key executive positions gathering dust. This isn’t just politics as usual; it’s a calculated stall tactic that’s forced Republicans to burn precious floor time on endless procedural votes.

Thune announced on Monday that the rule-changing process kicks off this week, with a decisive vote expected next week.

If the GOP moves swiftly, they could confirm over 100 pending nominations before the month is out—a desperately needed win for an administration hamstrung by vacancies.

The proposed tweak would let the Senate bundle groups of nominees for a single vote, though it won’t touch lifetime judicial roles or high-profile spots like Cabinet posts. Currently, just one senator’s objection can grind the process to a halt for days, a loophole Democrats have exploited with glee.

Thune Calls Out Democratic Obstruction Tactics

Thune didn’t mince words, calling the Democrats’ actions a “temper tantrum” over Trump’s election. And frankly, when a party blocks almost every nominee without even a pretense of compromise, it’s hard to see this as anything but sour grapes dressed up as principle.

He also warned, “There is no practical way that we could come close to filling all the vacancies in the four years of this administration, no matter how many hours the Senate works.” That’s a sobering reality check for those who think endless delays are a harmless protest.

Thune’s push isn’t just about speed; it’s about restoring what he calls Senate precedent. “It's time to take steps to restore Senate precedent and codify in the Senate rules what was once understood to be standard practice,” he said, emphasizing the need for a president to assemble his team without partisan gridlock.

On the flip side, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer fired back, claiming this change “guts the Senate’s constitutional role of advice and consent.” While checks and balances matter, one has to wonder if blanket obstruction is really the noble defense of tradition he claims it to be.

Democrats also caution that Republicans might regret this move when they need bipartisan support on spending bills or other legislation down the line. It’s a fair point, but it rings a bit hollow when their current strategy is to obstruct first and negotiate never.

Meanwhile, Trump himself weighed in with a fiery social media jab at Schumer, telling him to “GO TO HELL!” after talks broke down in August. While the frustration is understandable, it’s a reminder that the temperature in Washington is hotter than a summer sidewalk.

History of Partisan Nomination Battles

This isn’t the first time Senate rules have been weaponized in nomination battles, nor will it be the last. Democrats axed the 60-vote threshold for executive and lower court picks in 2013 under Obama, and Republicans followed suit for Supreme Court nominees in 2017 during the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Interestingly, the GOP’s idea to group nominations echoes a Democratic proposal from two years ago when Republicans stalled Biden’s picks.

It’s almost poetic—both sides have played the obstruction game, but Democrats’ near-total blockade of Trump’s nominees marks a new low in Senate cooperation.

Changing the rules won’t be a walk in the park; it’ll take several floor votes and a simple majority, meaning at least 51 of the 53 Republican senators need to be on board. Most seem ready to roll, but in politics, nothing’s certain until the gavel drops.

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