Overview
- Senate data cited in new reports shows 57 Trump nominees were withdrawn in the first year of his second term, the highest pace since at least the Reagan era.
- Republican senators said the White House at times advanced picks without securing votes, with John Kennedy noting some nominees appeared insufficiently vetted.
- A months-long fight over Paul Ingrassia’s selection to lead the Office of Special Counsel ended in withdrawal after reports of racist and antisemitic messages, followed by his appointment to a General Services Administration role.
- The White House attributed some withdrawals to routine adjustments and defended its choices, while Thom Tillis linked the volume to a faster process that can surface “lifestyle issues.”
- Politico’s reporting also cites internal infighting and the president’s shifting preferences as factors, with Mike Rounds urging the administration to slow down and avoid avoidable embarrassments.