After Donald Trump’s inauguration, Republican lawmakers are attempting to move swiftly to confirm his cabinet nominations. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Monday night in a rare occurrence of united agreement, and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) says she contributed more than just her vote.
Rubio, who was in the middle of his third term, is the first of Trump’s nominees to be confirmed. His selection as the next secretary of state – known as America’s top diplomat – was easily passed in the Senate by a vote of 99-0.
Hyde-Smith recounted Tuesday that the two have become good friends through their work alongside each other in the Senate. A conversation before the full vote led to unanimous confirmation – a move that has become increasingly rare in the modern political landscape.
“We were back in the cloakroom was about to come up,” Hyde-Smith said. “He was sitting there watching the proceedings on the television and he said, ‘It’s just weird for me to be there when they say all these things about me.’ He looked at me and he said, ‘Cindy, should I vote for myself?’ And I said, ‘Of course.’”
Precedent is that sitting senators up for a confirmation typically vote “present” instead of for or against their own nomination. But after Hyde-Smith’s encouragement to Rubio to show confidence in his ability to carry out the president’s foreign policy mandates and advise him on international issues, he broke with typical fashion.
“That was a moment in history. It was because of Marco’s character this it happened,” Hyde-Smith continued, noting that Rubio’s reputation and integrity garnered every possible vote from across party lines. “I think that we started off on a really good note there. But I promise, it’s going to get a lot more contentious.”
As the sixth-year senator alluded to, Rubio’s confirmation is likely to be one of the few that smoothly pass through the chamber. Many of the newly minted commander-in-chief’s selections are “unconventional,” as Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) labeled defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth, and will face staunch opposition from the Democratic Party.
Relative to the last five presidential administrations, Trump’s cabinet picks and confirmations are well ahead of pace, per the Associated Press. CIA director nominee John Ratcliffe could be confirmed as soon as Tuesday afternoon, with stamps of approval for others potentially lingering for weeks.
