President-elect Donald Trump Takes a New Approach to White House Appointments

President-elect Donald Trump has decided to use new tactics when appointing his Cabinet members for his second presidential term. Under the U.S. Constitution, each appointment by the president needs to be made with the “advice and consent” of the Senate. This means the Senate must approve each person a president nominates for a Cabinet position. However, the Senate does not always approve every nomination, depending on its current dynamics and the nominee’s background. Nevertheless, presidents still want to have their first picks carrying out their envisioned duty. As a result, the Constitution also has a provision that allows presidents to make recess appointments. Recess appointments occur when the Senate is not in session, allowing the President to temporarily appoint an official without requiring Senate confirmation. They are not new to the world of politics despite Trump’s intended usage of them. After his first term, Trump has been widely observed to have gained a deeper understanding of his executive powers.

Trump’s use of recess appointments has gained much attention due to the controversy surrounding some of his nominations. Uncertainties can stem from questions regarding the character or their ability. This can be seen in the case of Congressman Matt Gatez. Although he has since withdrawn his nomination, many in Washington D.C. were alarmed by his sex-trafficking allegations. Another example would be Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense. Concerns have been raised regarding Hegseth’s suitability to lead the Pentagon due to his lack of traditional defense leadership and past reports of misconduct.

There is potential for the Senate recess, as the new Republican Senate Majority Leader, John Thune, demonstrated his openness. This would allow Trump to directly appoint some of his more contended choices to office without requiring the Senate’s permission. Now, more or less, the future of America lies in the hands of John Thune.