The suspected ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans is fueling GOP calls to expedite Senate confirmation of President-elect Donald Trump’s national security nominees.
The 42-year-old suspect drove a pickup truck through a New Year’s crowd in the city’s famed Bourbon Street area, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. The FBI, which is leading the investigation, said an ISIS flag was found in the vehicle. The suspect was killed in the attack.
Senate Republican leaders said the attack underscored the need to quickly confirm Trump’s nominees for national security positions, with incoming Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso saying in part: “Lives depend on it.”
Here’s incoming Majority Leader John Thune:
GOP leaders had already indicated they’ll prioritize national security nominees on the Senate floor starting Jan. 20. But that doesn’t mean they’ll all be ready for confirmation come Inauguration Day.
That’s because many of Trump’s most controversial Cabinet picks are in the national security realm — including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, FBI nominee Kash Patel, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), the nominee for director of national intelligence.
The New Orleans attack could help limit confirmation drama for this group, but there are other factors to consider as well.
Uncertain timeline: Hegseth’s confirmation hearing is slated for Jan. 14. Gabbard’s is expected to take place that week as well. But Patel’s hearing may not happen until February because the Judiciary Committee is expected to process the attorney general and deputy AG nominees first. Former Florida AG Pam Bondi is Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
There’s no guarantee that Hegseth or Gabbard will be ready for floor time a week after their hearings, which could reveal additional vulnerabilities impacting their confirmation prospects.
The Senate is expected to pass an organizing resolution for the 119th Congress on Friday afternoon. That will officially give Republicans control of Senate committees.
Most committees require at least a week’s notice for hearings or business meetings. So it’s unlikely that there will be any Cabinet confirmation hearings next week.
That shouldn’t prevent some nominations from being ready for immediate floor action. For instance, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the nominee for secretary of state, is likely to draw wide Democratic support.
This is news: Gabbard, the DNI nominee, is scheduled to meet with the Intelligence Committee’s top Democrat, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, on Monday, per a source familiar with the matter.
Gabbard has already met with most Republican senators and every GOP member of the Intelligence Committee except Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the panel’s newest member.
But Gabbard’s meeting with Warner will be crucial as the controversial nominee seeks potential Democratic support. Aides in both parties see that as unlikely, which could complicate Gabbard’s path to confirmation if there are GOP defections.
Gabbard previously met with Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff (Ga.) and John Fetterman (Pa.). Ossoff sits on the Intelligence Committee.
Schumer on Dem strategy: Earlier this week, we asked outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer how Democrats will handle Trump’s Cabinet picks.
Schumer predicted “it’ll be a mix” in terms of Democratic support for individual nominees — an acknowledgment that Trump’s nominees run the gamut from easily confirmable to potentially problematic.
“There will be some, I think, that a good chunk of Democrats will support. And there will be some who we oppose,” Schumer said. “You have to wait for the full FBI report to come out, I think, before you can say which ones.”
Schumer’s Senate Democratic Caucus also includes several lawmakers who are politically vulnerable in 2026, such as Ossoff and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.). Schumer told us he’s taking a hands-off approach with them:
