Politics

Senate Confirms 48 Trump Nominees in Single Vote: How Republicans Outmaneuvered Democrats

Senate confirms 48 Trump nominees via rule change to bypass Democratic opposition.

September 18, 2025, 7:02 PM

Members of the 115th U.S. Congress and their families on the floor of the House of Representatives

Members of the 115th U.S. Congress and their families gathered on the floor of the House of Representatives for the opening of the new session. By mark reinstein / Shutterstock.com.

Executive Summary

The Senate confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a single vote, the first large group confirmed after a new rules change.

Republicans implemented a procedural shift, known as the “nuclear option,” allowing nominees to be considered and voted upon en bloc to accelerate the confirmation process.

This action represents a significant procedural shift enabling the Republican majority to circumvent Democratic opposition to individual appointments and address a backlog of Trump administration nominees.

The Story So Far

The Senate’s recent mass confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees was a direct response to months of growing partisan tensions and a significant backlog of presidential appointments awaiting approval. To address this stalemate and accelerate the confirmation process, Senate Republicans implemented a procedural change, known as the “nuclear option,” allowing nominees to be considered and voted upon as a group rather than individually.

Why This Matters

The Senate’s confirmation of 48 President Trump nominees in a single vote, enabled by a new procedural rule, significantly accelerates the executive branch’s ability to fill key positions by circumventing Democratic opposition to individual appointments, thereby intensifying the ongoing partisan power struggle over presidential appointments and setting a precedent for future confirmation processes.

Who Thinks What?

Senate Republicans implemented a rules change, the “nuclear option,” to accelerate the confirmation process and approved 48 of President Trump’s nominees in a single vote to clear a backlog.

Democrats objected to the procedural shift, which allowed nominees to be considered en bloc rather than individually and circumvented their opposition to appointments.

The Senate confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a single vote on Thursday, marking the first large group confirmed after Republicans implemented a change to Senate rules designed to accelerate the confirmation process. This sweeping action follows months of growing partisan tensions over a significant backlog of presidential appointments awaiting Senate approval.

Nominees Confirmed

Among those confirmed were Kimberly Guilfoyle, designated as Ambassador to Greece; Christine Toretti, slated to be Ambassador to Sweden; and Callista Gingrich, appointed as Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Former GOP Representative Brandon Williams also received confirmation for the role of under secretary for nuclear security.

Procedural Shift

Senate Republicans pushed through the rules change, known as the “nuclear option,” despite objections from Democrats. This procedural maneuver allows nominees to be considered and voted upon en bloc, or as a group, rather than individually. The move was a direct response to a prolonged stalemate over a large number of Trump administration nominees.

Key Takeaways

The confirmation of these 48 nominees represents a significant procedural shift in the Senate, allowing the Republican majority to circumvent Democratic opposition to individual appointments. This legislative action highlights the ongoing power struggles between the two parties regarding the executive branch’s appointments.