Cabot Phillips

Trump called him a, quote, great leader. The president reportedly urged Modi to lower tariffs on American imports and increase the amount of American products purchased by India. He specifically brought up energy and weapons in particular. Here's Trump after their meeting.

Trump called him a, quote, great leader. The president reportedly urged Modi to lower tariffs on American imports and increase the amount of American products purchased by India. He specifically brought up energy and weapons in particular. Here's Trump after their meeting.

Tell us about that vote. Right. RFK was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary with 52 yes votes in the Senate. The vote was basically along party lines, except Republican Mitch McConnell voted no for Kennedy. In a statement, McConnell cited RFK's position on vaccinations, and he noted that he's a survivor of polio.

Tell us about that vote. Right. RFK was confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary with 52 yes votes in the Senate. The vote was basically along party lines, except Republican Mitch McConnell voted no for Kennedy. In a statement, McConnell cited RFK's position on vaccinations, and he noted that he's a survivor of polio.

McConnell has voted against Trump cabinet picks more than any other Republican, a total of three times so far. Now, this confirmation of RFK is really significant, especially given the fact that not a single Democrat voted yes. In August, Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race and really laid into the Democrat Party in a speech announcing his endorsement of President Trump.

McConnell has voted against Trump cabinet picks more than any other Republican, a total of three times so far. Now, this confirmation of RFK is really significant, especially given the fact that not a single Democrat voted yes. In August, Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race and really laid into the Democrat Party in a speech announcing his endorsement of President Trump.

Kennedy said that the Democrat Party disenfranchised voters and they used Democrat-aligned judges to throw him off ballots and to try to throw Trump, another political opponent, in jail. He said that the party was unrecognizable and he called Democrats the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag, and big money. As we followed here, Democrats flipped in that moment.

Kennedy said that the Democrat Party disenfranchised voters and they used Democrat-aligned judges to throw him off ballots and to try to throw Trump, another political opponent, in jail. He said that the party was unrecognizable and he called Democrats the party of war, censorship, corruption, big pharma, big tech, big ag, and big money. As we followed here, Democrats flipped in that moment.

And instead of using lawfare to keep RFK off presidential ballots, they worked to keep him on ballots in an effort to hurt Trump.

And instead of using lawfare to keep RFK off presidential ballots, they worked to keep him on ballots in an effort to hurt Trump.

Right. So out of all of Trump's nominees, aside from Matt Gaetz, who dropped out very early, Gabbard was seen to have perhaps the toughest road to confirmation.

Right. So out of all of Trump's nominees, aside from Matt Gaetz, who dropped out very early, Gabbard was seen to have perhaps the toughest road to confirmation.

Gabbard was a former Democrat congresswoman and presidential candidate, and she faced a lot of scrutiny over her past comments supporting former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in a 2017 meeting she took with Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad. Like RFK, Gabbard picked up 52 yes votes in the Senate along party lines. She picked up all Republican senators except McConnell and zero Democrats.

Gabbard was a former Democrat congresswoman and presidential candidate, and she faced a lot of scrutiny over her past comments supporting former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in a 2017 meeting she took with Syria's then-president Bashar al-Assad. Like RFK, Gabbard picked up 52 yes votes in the Senate along party lines. She picked up all Republican senators except McConnell and zero Democrats.

Now, what nominees are still outstanding at this point? So Linda McMahon, who served in Trump's first administration, she's the president's nominee to lead the Department of Education. She appeared before the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, just one day after Trump publicly called for the Department of Education to be closed, calling it a, quote, complete con job.

Now, what nominees are still outstanding at this point? So Linda McMahon, who served in Trump's first administration, she's the president's nominee to lead the Department of Education. She appeared before the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, just one day after Trump publicly called for the Department of Education to be closed, calling it a, quote, complete con job.

McMahon, who was repeatedly interrupted by protesters, she addressed those comments from Trump during the hearing.

McMahon, who was repeatedly interrupted by protesters, she addressed those comments from Trump during the hearing.

If the committee approves McMahon, she'll proceed to a full Senate vote. And right now she is expected to be confirmed. There's also Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Yesterday, he won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a 12 to 10 party line vote, the panel approved Patel's nomination. Next, Patel is headed to the Senate for consideration, and he too is expected to be confirmed.

If the committee approves McMahon, she'll proceed to a full Senate vote. And right now she is expected to be confirmed. There's also Kash Patel to lead the FBI. Yesterday, he won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a 12 to 10 party line vote, the panel approved Patel's nomination. Next, Patel is headed to the Senate for consideration, and he too is expected to be confirmed.