Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm, accusing Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, of holding up his nominees in exchange for a hefty sum. In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump alleged that Democrats were demanding $2 billion to approve over 150 executive nominees, labeling the situation as "political extortion."
"Democrats, lead by Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, are slow walking my Nominees, more than 150 of them. They wanted us to pay, originally, two billion dollars for approvals. The Dems are CRAZED LUNATICS!!!" Trump wrote, escalating the already tense atmosphere in the Senate.
The accusations come as Senate Republicans push to confirm Trump's nominees, accusing Schumer of deliberately slowing down the process. Senator John Thune, after negotiations with Schumer and Trump broke down, expressed frustration, stating, "I think that the last six months have demonstrated that this process, nominations is broken."
Adding another layer to the conflict, Trump initially urged Senate Republicans to remain in session throughout August to vote on his nominees. However, he later gave them permission to begin their recess after a deal was struck to vote on seven final civilian nominees, leaving over 100 still pending. This directive from Trump relieved pressure on Senator Thune to clear the executive calendar before the recess.
The situation is further complicated by ongoing negotiations regarding the release of frozen funding held up by the Office of Management and Budget. Democrats have reportedly stated that this issue is a deal-breaker for any further bipartisan progress on appropriations this fall.
The political maneuvering and accusations of extortion have created a highly charged environment in Washington, raising questions about the future of the nomination process and the potential for further gridlock in the Senate.