On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) urged Senate Republicans to serve as a necessary check on the incoming Trump administration, especially in light of the controversial Cabinet appointments announced by the former president this week.
Jeffries chose not to comment directly on President-elect Trump’s specific picks, which include two former House colleagues of his—Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii)—nominated for attorney general and director of national intelligence, respectively.
However, Jeffries made it clear that he believes these individuals, among other nominees, are unqualified for the roles they’ve been chosen for. He emphasized the importance of Senate Republicans, who will hold the majority next year, not simply rubber-stamping the nominations due to loyalty to the new president.
House Minority Leader Jeffries warns Senate GOP against blindly supporting Trump’s Cabinet picks
“The Senate has a job to do,” Jeffries remarked during a Capitol press briefing. “Senate Republicans should focus on being an independent branch of government and acting as a check on an administration that could potentially spiral out of control.
That’s their responsibility.” He further stated, “Advice and consent should carry weight, and it doesn’t mean blindly supporting any administration, Democrat or Republican.”
These remarks add to the growing controversy surrounding Gaetz, Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump has nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is known for his anti-vaccine stance and conspiracy theories.
Jeffries deflected several inquiries about Gaetz’s nomination, the most contentious of Trump’s choices. Although Gaetz has a law degree, he has never served as a prosecutor and is currently under investigation by the Ethics Committee for allegations related to illicit drug use and sex trafficking, charges he denies.
Although Jeffries has criticized Trump loyalists like Gaetz, the Democratic leader indicated that he will not engage in the constant cycle of reacting to every controversy arising from Trump’s second term.
“What I’m not going to do for the next two years or the next four years is get caught up in the distractions,” Jeffries explained. “One day it’s Tulsi Gabbard, then Matt Gaetz, followed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and then Trump says something outrageous on social media. I’m not going to waste time on that.”
Gaetz’s nomination sparked immediate controversy, particularly after he resigned from Congress, which effectively ended an ongoing Ethics Committee investigation into him. Despite his departure, there are calls for the Ethics Committee to release its findings.
The Ethics Committee canceled a meeting scheduled for Friday morning, fueling accusations that Republicans, led by Rep. Michael Guest (Miss.), were protecting Trump’s nominee by suppressing potentially damaging information.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) further fueled these suspicions when he expressed a desire to “strongly request” that the Ethics Committee withhold its report. While Jeffries avoided commenting on the ongoing debate, he reiterated his concern over the qualifications of some of Trump’s nominees.
“Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. really the best candidate America has to offer? Are these nominations the right solutions for the issues facing everyday Americans?” Jeffries questioned. “That’s the question I’m grappling with, and it’s one that the American people are questioning as well.” “And the answer should be clear,” he added.
