Tulsi Gabbard has been confirmed as President Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, and while she did not receive support from Democrats, the party failed to exercise every option available to voice opposition to her—despite widespread security concerns that could affect every American and U.S. ally.
On Monday night, Senate Republicans asked for “unanimous consent” to proceed with the nominations of Gabbard and Department of Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The motion passed “without objection” from a single Democrat.
Holy shit. @schumer.senate.gov and the Senate Democrats couldn’t object to a basic UC (unanimous consent) time agreement to slow down a nominee like Gabbard?
Disgraceful and humiliating surrender from these Democrats as they continue to hit your inboxes and messages begging (spamming) for money.— Murshed Zaheed (@murshedz.bsky.social) 2025-02-12T02:11:35.730Z
The moment encapsulates how Senate Democrats have handled many of Trump’s Cabinet nominees. While party leaders have voiced opposition to Trump and his picks, they have failed to use all of their power to slow the process. And in some instances, Democrats have even actively backed Trump’s picks.
The biggest recipient of Democratic support was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former colleague of the senators who voted to confirm him. Not a single member of the Democratic caucus opposed Rubio’s nomination in his 99-0 confirmation vote.
Across the political spectrum, Rubio received Democratic backing, including from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, and even Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Empowered by these votes, Rubio is now working in concert with billionaire Trump donor Elon Musk to destroy the U.S. Agency of International Development—cutting off a vital pipeline for people across the world whose lives depend on U.S. support.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy
Other key Trump nominees have also garnered Democratic support. Former MTV “The Real World” star Sean Duffy became secretary of transportation with the aid of 24 Democratic votes. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins also garnered support from 24 Democrats. John Ratcliffe now leads the CIA after 21 Democrats voted to confirm him, and Doug Burgum became secretary of interior with 26 Democratic votes.
Similarly, days before he began empowering Musk’s attacks on the Treasury Department, Scott Bessent earned 16 Democratic votes to become Treasury secretary. Kristi Noem became secretary of homeland security with 7 votes from Democrats, and Christopher Wright became secretary of energy with 8 Democratic votes. Fresh off of a humiliating loss in New York’s gubernatorial race, Lee Zeldin was confirmed as administrator of the EPA with 3 Democratic votes.
However, only one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general.
As with Gabbard, there was no Democratic love for now-Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who didn’t receive a single vote from the party.
But even when they ultimately opposed Trump’s nominees in the final vote, Democrats voted for cloture, which allowed the Senate confirmation vote to proceed. The vote on Sean Duffy, for instance, got the green light when the Senate voted 97-0 for cloture.
Democrats like Schumer have called out Trump’s actions and sounded the alarm on his attacks on U.S. democracy. But behind closed doors, many of those same leaders have been grumbling about receiving flack from Democratic voters for not doing everything they can to stand up to Trump.
As long as the party keeps operating like business as usual, it can expect to receive even more criticism.
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