The Senate is racing the clock to confirm several of President Donald Trump’s key nominees before lawmakers head home for the August recess.
Senate Republicans are moving to fill vacant positions across the government this upcoming week, including the next director of national intelligence and a new attorney general. Time is running out as the recess looms.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton, Trump’s pick to be the permanent DNI, is scheduled for his confirmation hearing Wednesday. The Senate originally planned Clayton’s hearing for June 17 — just days after Trump nominated him to replace former DNI Tulsi Gabbard — but Trump himself called it off.
Trump said on Truth Social that Clayton’s nomination would not move forward until Jamie McDonald was approved to be the next attorney for the Southern District of New York. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Tom Cotton confirmed the postponement after Trump’s directive.
“It’s regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today. Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly. While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to proceeding with his confirmation in the near future.”
It’s regrettable that the president has directed Jay Clayton not to appear at his confirmation hearing today. Mr. Clayton is a patriot and a highly qualified nominee, as the president has said repeatedly. While today’s hearing is now unfortunately postponed, I look forward to…
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) June 17, 2026
The Senate rushed to schedule Clayton’s hearing after Section 702 of the Foreign Relations Intelligence Act expired on June 12. Section 702 allows the government to collect and search American citizens’ data without a warrant if they were in contact with targeted noncitizens located outside the U.S.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told the Daily Caller News Foundation on June 11 that Clayton is “a really good pick” who is “obviously very capable and competent.”
🚨🚨 Thune’s response when I asked if he thinks Jay Clayton is a good DNI pick:
“I think he’s a really good pick. He’s obviously very capable and competent and [has] a great record. So, my assumption is, and I would certainly hope that Democrats who are being objective about it…
— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) June 11, 2026
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the DCNF he supported “getting rid of Pulte” when asked if he supported Clayton. Democrats appeared to have nothing negative to say about Clayton and instead criticized acting DNI Bill Pulte.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also faces his confirmation hearing Wednesday.
Trump nominated Blanche to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi. Blanche became acting attorney general on April 2 after Trump fired Bondi.
Blanche worked at the Department of Justice for 15 years in a variety of roles, including as a contractor, a paralegal in the Criminal Division and at the United States Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, according to the DOJ. He also served as a defense attorney for Trump in three of his legal cases between 2023 and 2024.
Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn said he would not commit to supporting Blanche unless he committed to “further briefing” on the tax audit issues involving Trump and his family.
Had a positive interview with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has been nominated for the Senate-confirmed job by @POTUS. He committed to further briefing on the tax audit issue involving President Trump and his family. I will not make a decision on confirmation until…
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 16, 2026
Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said in June he would not commit to supporting Blanche if there was any hint that the DOJ would not be independent from Trump’s influence.
Blanche previously engaged in heated conversations with Senate Republicans over a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund aimed at compensating victims of government weaponization. The fund raised concerns that defendants convicted of violent crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot would receive the money.
Many Senate Republicans staunchly opposed the fund. The acting attorney general testified to the House of Representatives on June 2 that the DOJ dropped the fund.
Deputy Surgeon General Erica Schwartz is scheduled to appear before the Senate HELP Committee Wednesday in hopes of being the next leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Trump fired former CDC Director Susan Monarez in September after she refused to resign over her clashes with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccination policies. Monarez’ firing left the CDC without a leader for nearly a year.
Trump’s previous CDC nominee, Dr. David Weldon, withdrew his nomination in March 2025 after he was expected not to garner enough votes in the Senate HELP Committee, who raised questions about his past statements questioning vaccine safety.
Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling is expected to appear for his confirmation hearing Thursday before the HELP Committee.
If confirmed, Sonderling would replace former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned on April 20 amid a monthlong internal investigation by the Labor Department’s inspector general into allegations of misconduct, including workplace drinking and an affair with a subordinate.
Senate Republicans moved quickly to schedule Sonderling’s hearing, indicating they are confident he can secure his confirmation.
On Tuesday, acting Pentagon Comptroller nominee Jay Hurst will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing after Trump nominated him in May to permanently serve in the role. Hurst would become the administration’s first Senate-confirmed Defense Department chief financial officer since Trump’s second term began in January 2025.
Hurst would likely provide the first public testimony on the Iran strikes since they restarted Tuesday, which broke the 60-day ceasefire from mid-June. The committee will likely press Hurst on the Iran war and the overall cost of the conflict.
