New Yorker reporter Jane Mayer created quite a stir after posting a quote from Mitch McConnell regarding Donald Trump’s using recess appointments to get his cabinet in place.
President-elect Trump, knowing what kind of opposition he is set to encounter in his second term, has demanded recess appointments be a part of the game plan.
Mayer though, took to X with a message from the Kentucky Republican asserting he wasn’t going to allow them to happen.
“Message to Trump Team: ‘There will be no recess appointments’ Sen. Mitch McConnell said tonight at a Washington gathering,” Mayer wrote in an X post on Sunday.
She has since deleted the post with no explanation.
New Yorker staff writer Jane Mayer deleted this tweet below but not before it got 243,000 views, saying Senator Mitch McConnell said no to any recess appointments for president-elect Trump’s cabinet. McConnell is no longer Senate Majority leader. Senator John Thune is, and he… pic.twitter.com/DMDvATOMsi
— Elizabeth MacDonald (@LizMacDonaldFOX) November 18, 2024
Mitch McConnell To Stop Trump Cabinet?
Without commentary from Mayer, it’s difficult to understand whether or not Mitch McConnell, who has had a contentious relationship with Trump, actually said he would put a stop to recess appointments for Trump’s cabinet.
Recess appointments allow a president to bypass the Senate’s role in the confirmation process. In other words, they would be handcuffed in trying to play games to stop Trump from getting key cabinet selections into place.
Regardless, pushback to the comment was swift.
Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) replied, “Yes, there will be.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) added, “Remember that time when McConnell decided he wouldn’t be speaking for Senate Republicans anymore?”
Remember that time when McConnell decided he wouldn’t be speaking for Senate Republicans anymore? https://t.co/tS04hGHUPa
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) November 18, 2024
The most likely reason for Mayer deleting the post is that she heard the comment, but didn’t have permission to post an off-the-record statement.
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John Thune Will Be The New Senate Majority Leader
Most of the feedback involved a reminder that Mitch McConnell isn’t in a position to play games with the recess appointments, as he is the outgoing Senate Majority Leader.
Meanwhile, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has said all options must be on the table to get Trump’s cabinet nominees into their roles. Which means exercising the use of recess appointments to fill vacancies.
“All options are on the table, including recess appointments,” he told Fox News host Bret Baier. “Hopefully it doesn’t get to that. But we’ll find out fairly quickly whether the Democrats want to play ball or not.”
LEADER-ELECT THUNE: “All options are on the table, including recess appointments. Hopefully it doesn’t get to that.” pic.twitter.com/labzFukMgQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 14, 2024
Mitch McConnell has a rich history of opposing President-elect Trump, so extending the animosity to trying to sink some of his controversial cabinet picks would be of little surprise.
Some of the more controversial (in their eyes) picks that come to mind are Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary.
Perhaps the most difficult position to fill will be that of Attorney General, where Trump has tapped firebrand former congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for the role.
Any nominee losing three Republican senators would be defeated, as Senate confirmations are passed with a simple majority vote.
