White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Friday defended President Trump’s nominees for three Cabinet-level positions, each of whom is likely to face a difficult path to Senate confirmation this year.
“Mike Pompeo, Gina Haspel, and Admiral Ronny Jackson have served our country with honor and distinction, are highly respected on both sides of the aisle, and should be confirmed without delay,” Sanders tweeted, referring in order to Trump’s nominees for secretary of state, CIA director, and Veterans Affairs secretary.
All three nominees were announced this month as the president pursued a far-reaching shake-up of his administration due to dissatisfaction with the behavior of some appointees and, in some cases, a lack of chemistry. Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 13, naming Pompeo as his replacement. He then ousted national security adviser H.R. McMaster on March 22, and let go of VA Secretary David Shulkin one week later.
Trump tapped Jackson, his appointed physician, to run the VA following Shulklin’s departure. Jackson has worked in the White House since 2006 and was appointed to his current role by President Barack Obama in 2013. He has faced scrutiny from critics of the Trump administration for his lack of management experience, an important prerequisite for someone who intends to run the second-largest Cabinet agency behind the Department of Defense.
Haspel, 61, has also faced questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers about her role in the CIA’s enhanced interrogation program following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Arizona Sen. John McCain has repeatedly urged his colleagues to seek assurances from Haspel when she appears before the Senate Intelligence Committee that the top U.S. spy agency would continue to comply with anti-torture laws under her leadership. At least one GOP senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky, has already vowed to vote against Haspel and Pompeo’s nominations in the upper chamber.
Though he enjoys bipartisan support, Pompeo could also face a contentious confirmation process. Several Democrats have criticized his vehement opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, while others will likely want to know where he stands on North Korea. His nomination comes as Trump prepares to meet face-to-face with Kim Jong Un to begin nuclear talks his brutal regime.
All three nominees will need a majority vote to secure confirmation in the Senate, where Republicans are currently operating on a thin 51-49 seat majority.
