Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R‑S.D.) has mobilized Republicans to invoke the so‑called “nuclear option” in a bid to force through confirmation of dozens of President Trump’s executive branch nominees. Under current Senate rules, most nominations require 60 votes to end debate (cloture), a threshold Democrats have used to stall progress. Thune’s plan bundles roughly 40–50 lower‑level (nonjudicial, non‑Cabinet) nominees in a single resolution, then uses procedural maneuvers to argue that cloture should require only a simple majority—effectively allowing confirmations to proceed on just 51 votes.
After procedural steps and significant floor debate, Republicans successfully changed Senate rules by a 53–45 vote, enabling group votes on these nominees rather than individual ones. The new rule explicitly excludes Cabinet-level posts, federal judges, and Supreme Court nominees—ensuring it applies only to sub‑cabinet, ambassadorial, and other executive branch positions. On September 18, 2025, the Senate confirmed 48 of Trump’s backlogged nominees in a single sweeping vote, marking the first major use of the revamped process.
Supporters argue this shift is essential to clear a backlog of stalled nominees and prevent single senators from indefinitely delaying executive appointments. But critics warn it undermines Senate norms and erodes the minority party’s ability to provide checks through scrutiny and delay. With the precedent now reset, the Senate under Republican control will face heightened expectations—and potential backlash—if subsequent nominees face less oversight or more partisan voting than before.
