NEW: Senate Schedules Rare Saturday Vote To Confirm Another Trump Cabinet Nominee


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The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate has scheduled votes to confirm Kristi Noem as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. President Trump has urged lawmakers to consider recess appointments as Senate Democrats continue to delay votes on crucial cabinet nominees.

Lawmakers will meet for a rare Saturday session to vote on whether South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem should be confirmed as the next DHS secretary. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) indicated earlier in the week that the Senate would stay in session over the weekend in order to push through more confirmations if Democrats blocked committee and floor votes.

Do we want a vote on these folks on Tuesday or vote on them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Because that’s what we’re going to do,” Thune said after Democrats blocked a confirmation vote for Trump’s CIA director nominee, John Ratcliffe. Despite Democrat-led obstruction efforts, the Trump cabinet nominee was confirmed earlier this week. “This can be easy or this can be hard,” Thune stated.

“This is about America’s national security interests, and we’re stalling, so that’s not going to happen,” the newly-elected Senate GOP leader added.

Noem speaks at The People’s Convention at Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan
Photo: Gage Skidmore

Noem testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee during a lengthy confirmation hearing earlier this week. If confirmed, Noem will play a key role in getting the border crisis under control and ensuring that Trump’s deportation operations run smoothly. Former ICE Director Tom Homan, who has been named as Trump’s “border czar,” has been overseeing deportations over the first week in Trump’s presidency and is expected to remain in that capacity for the foreseeable future.

Over the first three days of Trump’s presidency, ICE arrested more than 300 illegal aliens who were designated as high priority public safety threats. Almost all of those who were arrested, and soon deported, had extensive criminal records and convictions for violent crimes or sexual assault.

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As of this report, only a handful of President Trump’s cabinet nominees have been confirmed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio became the first nominee to be confirmed earlier this week, while CIA Director John Ratcliffe was confirmed two days later.

Pete Hegseth was confirmed as secretary of defense on Friday after a weeks-long, contentious process that saw three Senate Republicans vote against him. This forced Vice President J.D. Vance to serve as the tie-breaking vote in confirming the crucial nominee.

RELATED: Tom Homan Puts Democrat Leaders On Notice As Deportations Accelerate: ‘GAME ON’


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