Trump Warns Senate Republicans Over Remaining Biden Nominations

President-elect Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Republican senators, cautioning them against collaborating with President Joe Biden during his final month in office.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “To all Senate Republicans: NO DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS TO FAST TRACK NOMINATIONS AT THE END OF THIS CONGRESS. I won the biggest mandate in 129 years. I will make my appointments of Very Qualified People in January when I am sworn in.”

As reported by The Hill, it is customary for the Senate, responsible for confirming nominations, to negotiate end-of-session deals to approve nominees delayed earlier in the term.

For example, in November, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican senators agreed to approve nine federal district court judges while setting aside four nominees unlikely to secure confirmation. To date, the Senate has confirmed 233 of Biden’s judicial appointments, matching the number approved during Trump’s first term.

Meanwhile, Democrats are actively working to counter Trump’s agenda before his inauguration.

On Tuesday, Senate Democrats attempted to pass legislation aimed at thwarting Trump’s proposed civil service reforms, but the effort was blocked, according to The Hill.

During his first term, Trump sought to implement these reforms but was thwarted by Biden’s 2021 reversal of his efforts. Trump has pledged to revisit these reforms in his upcoming administration.

Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) called for unanimous consent to pass a bill preventing Trump from altering the federal bureaucracy, but Republican Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) objected.

In a video statement, Schmitt criticized the administrative state, stating, “What we’ve seen in the last 100 years is the growth of an administrative state that isn’t accountable to anybody.”

Schmitt further argued, “There is no secret that President Trump ran on greater government efficiency and reducing the size of government. This is another effort to Trump-proof before Jan. 20.”

In a separate development, the Georgia Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is disqualified from prosecuting President-elect Donald Trump in his election interference case.

Although the court did not dismiss Trump’s indictment entirely, it determined that Willis and her assistant district attorneys have “no authority to proceed,” as reported by Fox News.

This ruling adds to Willis’s legal challenges. In September, a Georgia judge ruled against her in a case involving an open records lawsuit.

Fulton County Judge Rachel Krause denied a request to dismiss the lawsuit but granted a motion exempting Willis from being named personally, allowing her to remain involved in her official capacity.

The lawsuit, tied to the Fulton County election interference investigation, was initiated by attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents co-defendant Michael Roman.

Merchant alleged that Willis’s office failed to comply with the Georgia Open Records Act by withholding documents related to a media monitoring firm allegedly funded with taxpayer dollars.

Judge Krause has scheduled an evidentiary hearing to investigate the existence and scope of the requested documents. Additionally, attorneys plan to subpoena individuals responsible for managing open records requests in Willis’s office to gather further evidence.

Merchant remarked, “The judge clearly agreed with the defense that the actions of Willis are a result of her poor judgment.”