President Donald Trump criticized Senate Democrats on March 11 for slow-walking the confirmation of a record number of his nominees.
“The Democrats continue to Obstruct the confirmation of hundreds of good and talented people who are needed to run our government,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “A record in U.S. history. State Department, Ambassadors and many others are being slow-walked. Senate must approve NOW!”
Trump has often lambasted Democrats for obstructing his agenda by slowing down the confirmation process.
“Dems are taking forever to approve my people, including Ambassadors. They are nothing but OBSTRUCTIONISTS! Want approvals,” the president wrote on Twitter in June.
Trump blasted Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer over the same issue recently. The president’s chief frustration appears to be the stalled confirmation of Richard Grenell as ambassador to Germany. Democrats are requiring 30 hours of floor debate before the confirmation moves forward. Trump nominated Grenell last September.
“And that’s not good,” he added. “It’s never been like this, ever. They’ve never held them this long. Republicans have never done this to this extent with the Democrats. And Schumer and the Democrats ought to get going because it’s the wrong thing for our country. It’s a very terrible thing.”
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has been highlighting stalled confirmations at the daily press briefings to ramp up pressure on the Senate.
Sanders also underlined the blocking of Yleem Poblete for the position of Assistant Secretary for Arms Control Verification and Compliance.
“We need her in place so she’s able to fully represent the United States at upcoming international meetings to discuss Syria’s use of chemical weapons, and to participate in April’s Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee meetings,” Sanders said.
“And yet, Senator Schumer is holding her up, putting the safety and security of the American people and, frankly, the entire world in danger.”