It is no secret that Democrats are all in a tizzy over President Donald Trump’s picks for his cabinet positions. So far, most of his nominees have faced grueling confirmation hearings in which Democrats have done their level best to discredit them.
Despite the theatrics and vitriol, some Democrats have supported at least some of Trump’s nominees. However, others have opposed every candidate except for one exception: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was confirmed unanimously.
These Democratic lawmakers include Sens. Mazie Hirono (HI), Chris Murphy (CT), Chris Van Hollen (MD), Ed Markey (MA), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Patty Murray (WA), Jack Reed (RI), Jeff Merkley (OR), Ron Wyden (OR).
Several of these individuals had some testy exchanges with Trump’s nominees during their confirmation hearings, engaging in some of the most ridiculous displays of political theater. Sen. Hirono, in particular, seemed obsessed with whether each candidate had committed sexual assault.
🚨 SEE IT: Senator Mazie Hirono went on a bizarre spree of asking the Trump nominees she got to question if they ever committed s*xual assault or harassment.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 17, 2025
pic.twitter.com/LbqSMqAYxY
To be fair, Hirono did ask this same question of former President Joe Biden’s nominees as well. However, she has been widely ridiculed for her fixation on sexual misconduct. Asking this question each time is rather silly given that no nominee would ever admit to having committed sexual misconduct during a confirmation hearing, which makes it seem as if this is Hirono’s bizarre way of grandstanding.
Sen. Elizabeth “Lieawatha” Warren also had her share of contentious moments during the hearings. During Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s hearing, she went on the warpath, schoolmarming him about his past comments on women serving in combat roles.
BREAKING: Senator Elizabeth Warren lectures Pete Hegseth on his prior comments on women in combat roles - literally refuses to let him answer anything.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 14, 2025
Look how disrespectful she is.
"Help me understand - what extraordinary event happened in the 32 day period that made you… pic.twitter.com/iHo2NNAps3
Warren had a particularly embarrassing moment when she asked whether Hegseth believed that generals should not work in the defense industry for ten years after they leave their positions. She questioned whether Hegseth would make that same commitment to which he replied, “I’m not a general, senator.”
The room erupts in laughter after Pete Hegseth dunks on Elizabeth Warren
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 14, 2025
Warren: "You are quite sure every General who serves should not go directly into the defense industry for 10 years but you're not willing to make that same pledge?"
Hegseth: "I'm not a General, Senator" pic.twitter.com/w4eCMt6j95
Sen. Duckworth completely lost it while berating Hegseth about the nonprofit organizations he ran. She asked whether he had ever conducted an audit of the organizations. When he began to answer, Duckworth cut him off and began screaming at him.
There were no findings because you've never led an audit. What guidance did you give the auditors? None, because you've never led an audit. Nobody expects you to be an accountant, Mr. Hegseth. What we expect is for you to understand the complexity of this Pentagon budget process that is absolutely necessary to outfit our warfighters.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth has a TOTAL MELTDOWN at Pete Hegseth’s Senate confirmation hearing: pic.twitter.com/bqdTSjNbfs
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 14, 2025
Sen. Wyden during Hegseth’s confirmation hearing slammed President Trump for “illegally” withholding federal funds from “a broad range of organizations” and asked what the nominee would do if Trump instructed him to do the same.
Hegseth responded, “I don’t believe for a second President Trump would ask me to do something that would break the law.”
Back to the purity pledges.
— Tosca Austen (@ToscaAusten) January 30, 2025
Senator Ron Wyden —heavily caffeinated, skewers Tulsi on her loyalty to Donald Trump.
Tulsi nails her response in the Director of national intelligence confirmation hearing. pic.twitter.com/QelTzWQDMs
Sen. Reed laid into Hegseth, saying he did not “believe you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job” and accused him of financial mismanagement and making “racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform.”
Mr. Hegseth, I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job. We must acknowledge the concerning public reports against you. A variety of sources, including your own writings, implicate you with disregarding the laws of war, financial mismanagement, racist and sexist remarks about men and women in uniform, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other troubling issues. I reviewed many of these allegations and find them extremely alarming.
Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, is largely unknown to most Americans.
— Arch Kennedy (@ArchKennedy) January 14, 2025
He represents the opposing side in the recent election, which rightfully faced defeat.
Go Pete Hegseth❗️💪 pic.twitter.com/0x16AkFPES
Throughout each of these hearings, it was abundantly clear that these lawmakers, along with many of their colleagues, did not care about whether Trump’s nominees were qualified. They were only interested in attacking members of the president’s team to score cheap political points and get some snazzy sound bites for the likes of MSNBC.
It is one thing to oppose a president’s policies. But this brand of hyperpartisanship is part of a long list of reasons why Democrats lost in 2024. Their frantic “Orange Man Bad” posturing was a turnoff even for those who may not be as enthused about Trump as others. It appears these people still have not learned their lesson.
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