Republicans’ critical Senate wins mean Donald Trump will have more leeway to pick his preferred Cabinet next year than he did in his first term — a critical difference as the president-elect floats controversial figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Elon Musk.
Starting in 2017, Trump watched as several of his nominees ran aground in a narrowly GOP-controlled Senate, withdrawing his first Cabinet pick only weeks into his term.
Now, Republicans are set to hold as many as 54 seats, a number that would allow Trump to sidestep the shrinking centrist GOP wing in the chamber, including the likes of Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who might oppose certain nominees.
The GOP has 53 seats locked up after unseating Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey. And Republican senators and aides, basking in their wins, say they are currently expecting the conference to be widely deferential to Trump’s picks.
