Washington [US], August 3 : US President Donald Trump lashed out at Senate Democrats for allegedly stalling the confirmation of his nominees and applauded Senate Republicans for their continued efforts to push forward appointments, The Hill reported.
"Very proud of our great Republican Senators for fighting, over the Weekend and far beyond, if necessary, in order to get my great Appointments approved, and on their way to helping us MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," Trump posted on Saturday on Truth Social.
According to The Hill, Trump accused Democrats of attempting to obstruct the process. "They are doing everything possible to DELAY these wonderful and talented people from being" confirmed, the president said.
Trump further took a swipe at Senate Democrats by invoking historical figures, stating, "If George Washington or Abraham Lincoln were up for approval, the Dems would delay, as long as possible, then vote them out. The Democrats want our Country to fail, because they have failed."
He also thanked Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and "our Republican Warriors in the Senate," urging them to "Fight and WIN. I am with you all the way!!!"
Speaking to reporters, Thune said that recess appointments to address the backlog of over 160 nominees primarily for lower-level roles were "on the table."
"I think everything is on the table," Thune said, adding, "Fixing the rules, not just for now, but for the long term, would be a better solution for it. But at this point right now, I wouldn't say we're taking any options off the table," The Hill quoted him as saying.
GOP lawmakers have shown willingness to negotiate with Democrats to facilitate confirmations but are also preparing to consider alternative paths if a deal falls through.
"If we can't then we will have to resort to other options and we've got a lot of support for doing that," Thune told Politico, noting that virtually unanimous Republican backing would be needed to change Senate rules.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) defended the Democrats' stance, stating, "Historically bad nominees deserve historic levels of scrutiny."
"We have never seen nominees as flawed, as compromised, as unqualified as Trump's," Schumer posted on X. "And they know that," The Hill reported.
The Hill also cited sources confirming that Schumer's and Thune's offices were in talks during the week, with the New York senator sending a counterproposal on Friday.
Trump, in another Saturday post, claimed that Schumer was demanding over $1 billion in funding to be unfrozen in return for confirming "a small" number of Trump's "highly qualified" nominees.
"This demand is egregious and unprecedented, and would be embarrassing to the Republican Party if it were accepted. It is political extortion, by any other name," Trump wrote, The Hill reported.
In his closing salvo, Trump urged Republicans to reject any such deal: "Tell Schumer, who is under tremendous political pressure from within his own party, the Radical Left Lunatics, to GO TO HELL! Do not accept the offer, go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are, and what a great job the Republicans are doing, and have done, for our Country," Trump said, signing off with "have a great RECESS and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!"
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