Despite public and private opposition from Senate Republicans, the Trump administration is certain that three of his most contentious cabinet choices will be confirmed in the end, people with direct knowledge of the process told Mediaite.
The Senate will begin voting on the nominations this week on Tuesday after confirmation hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, and Kash Patel for Director of the FBI were completed.
The entire Senate will have the opportunity to vote on their nominations if they pass their respective committees. A candidate’s chances will be ruined if four Republicans and every Democrat vote against them.
Kennedy faced strong opposition during his hearing last week, which mostly focused on his history of anti-vaccine advocacy and conspiracy theories about science and health. Kennedy ran against Trump in the 2024 presidential election as an independent and negotiated a deal to drop out in exchange for the opportunity to serve in Trump’s administration.
“The sharpest opposition is likely to focus on RFK Jr., setting the stage for a contentious battle over his nomination,” one source familiar with internal conversations regarding the hearings told Mediaite.
According to the source, that opposition won’t matter in the end. They cited the “political realities,” such as the “threat of primary challenges and the risk of backlash,” as sufficient to allay Senate Republicans’ concerns.
Kennedy’s nomination was advanced to the full Senate on Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee, which voted along party lines. Kennedy’s history of disseminating misleading information regarding vaccines raised serious concerns, according to one Republican. During the hearings, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a former doctor who entered politics, questioned Kennedy and claimed that his stance on vaccines was the reason he was “struggling” with the nomination.
Cassidy was under pressure from Trump and Kennedy supporters over the weekend to back the latter’s nomination. He cast the decisive vote to move his nomination along on Tuesday.
Kennedy has been clearly opposed by Democrats. In a letter dated February 2, Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren charged Kennedy with having “serious conflicts of interest” because of his “financial stake in anti-vaccine cases against HHS-regulated companies.”
“These conflicts, combined with your decades-long career casting doubt about the safety and efficacy of life-saving vaccines, give us grave concern about your fitness to serve as Secretary,” they wrote.
In addition to Kennedy’s scientific beliefs, Democrats have recently questioned the political scion over two allegations of sexual misconduct against him that resulted in compensation for the alleged victims. One of the women was paid almost $1 million to sign a nondisclosure agreement after accusing Kennedy of sexual misconduct, according to a Monday night Mediaite report.
However, a source close to the Kennedy team stated that they are confident he will overcome the opposition due to pressure from Trump and his supporters.
“The overall feeling is that Kennedy will be confirmed,” they said. “No one wants to go against Trump at this point.”
Another Kennedy insider agreed.
Senate Republicans expressed their reluctance to initiate a conflict with Trump immediately.
Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to run the FBI, is also seen by the Trump camp as almost certain to be confirmed by the Senate.
He “has built considerable momentum by meeting with senators and emphasizing his extensive experience as a public defender and prosecutor,” said one Patel ally.
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence and a former Democrat and presidential candidate, faced a challenging start to her nomination process.
According to one source with knowledge of Gabbard’s private meetings with lawmakers, she did not “take her meetings seriously” at first and was “underprepared.” According to the source, she changed the tone at the confirmation hearings after being subjected to challenging questions during those private sessions.
All three cabinet candidates will be confirmed, according to a Trump insider.
They cited the example of former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed as Secretary of Defense last month despite severe concerns about his qualifications and behavior, as proof that scandal-plagued nominees would likely pass the Senate with little opposition.
