A handful of Senate Democrats are taking an unexpectedly conciliatory approach toward President-elect Donald Trump’s slate of cabinet nominees, even pledging to be “open-minded” when the confirmation process begins.
The Dems’ approach signals a big departure from 2017, when many of Trump’s cabinet picks endured overwhelmingly acrimonious confirmation hearings.
“Until these folks are scheduled to face the Senate, Democrats are going to let the Republicans do the knifing,” one senior congressional Democratic aide told The Post.
The move suggests that at least some Dems — particularly incumbents in the swing states Trump swept last month — are more willing to reach across the aisle as they brace themselves to be the minority by a margin of 53-47 come January.
“I will give any president’s nominees good-faith consideration and will be eager to learn how they believe their tenure, should they be confirmed, will benefit Georgia,” Sen. Jon Ossoff (R-Ga.) told Punchbowl News, adding, “I am, as always, open-minded.”
Michigan Democrat Gary Peters closely echoed Ossoff’s sentiment, saying he will act in good faith and consider “every candidate on their own qualifications and on their own merit.”
Still, it is unlikely any Senate Democrats will vote to confirm Trump’s more divisive choices such as Kash Patel for FBI chief or Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense.
“If they are reasonable, we will be reasonable. I think you will see less blanket opposition than the first time around, but we will not give up our roles,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told the outlet.
“Hegseth is a huge person of interest — just because of the lack of international experience and alcohol issues and sexual misconduct as well,” the Democratic aide also told The Post, referencing recent allegations of personal and professional misconduct against Trump’s Pentagon pick.
“That’s judgment, could be at 3 a.m.,” the aide added of the round-the-clock job.
This means nominees including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state or Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer for secretary of labor are unlikely to be held up as vulnerable Dems look to pick their battles more carefully.
“I’m going to give everybody a fair shake,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who watched last month as the Garden State tilted to the right by 10 points.
Sen. Jon Fetterman (D-Pa.) was pragmatic when summing up the shift in tone among his colleagues.
“That’s what happens when the other side wins.
“They get their choices in those things,” he said.
The junior senator from the Keystone State even spared a kind word for Tesla and SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk, who has taken a highly visible role in the nascent Trump administration and is set to co-head the Department of Government Efficiency with fellow MAGA magnate Vivek Ramaswamy.
“I admire Elon Musk. He has been involved in very important parts of American society,” Fetterman said from the Capitol on Thursday.
“Yes, he’s on a different team, but that doesn’t make me an enemy. … He has made our economy and our nation better, and our politics are different, [but] that doesn’t make him an enemy.”
The Senate has not scheduled any confirmations yet, but the hearings will kick off in January after the new Congress is sworn in.
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