Do Trump’s Cabinet picks have more support now than in his last term? What votes show
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democrat crossing party lines to cast his vote in favor of Pamela Bondi to be the attorney general.
“I’m saying that she’s, she’s qualified, and it’s not my ideal pick, but it turns out that (former Attorney General) Merrick Garland wasn’t anyone’s ideal one either,” Fetterman said after the Feb. 4 vote, according to CNN.
But voting in favor of President Donald Trump’s cabinet picks is not uncommon for Democratic senators, a McClatchy News analysis of Senate roll call votes shows. In fact, this isn’t the first confirmation vote to receive support from Democrats in the Senate.
During Cabinet confirmation hearings in 2017 — Trump’s first term in office — it was more common for Democratic senators to vote in favor of the picks. At least 60% of senators voted to confirm nine out of 15 Cabinet picks, data shows.
Confirmation votes taken thus far in Trump’s second term show fewer Democrats are voting in favor of the picks, roll call votes show. In 2025, five out of the nine confirmation votes received at least 60% of senators’ votes.
While some Democrats voted in line with Republicans to confirm many of Trump’s Cabinet picks, the small number of Republicans voting “no” created the most contentious votes of the confirmation process.
Republicans create contentious votes
When the 115th Congress confirmed all 15 of Trump’s picks for Cabinet in 2017, there were 51 Republicans and 47 Democrats in the Senate, along with two Independents who typically voted with Democrats.
Just one nominee sent a Republican to the other side of the aisle during early initial confirmation hearings in 2017.
No Democrats nor Independents voted for Betsy DeVos for secretary of education, but Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Maine Sen. Susan Collins voted no, requiring then Vice President Mike Pence to cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm DeVos.
Murkowski would later side with Democrats in Pete Hegseth’s confirmation vote for secretary of defense in 2025. Vice President J.D. Vance broke a 50-50 tie to confirm Hegseth on Jan. 24.
This time, Republicans Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell would join Murkowski and Collins in voting “no” for a Trump Cabinet pick during his second term.
Democrats aid in swift confirmations
Both in 2017 and in 2025, when Republicans had a majority in the Senate, many Democrats voted along with Republicans to overwhelmingly confirm Trump’s Cabinet picks.
Though most Cabinet members were confirmed by a supermajority of senators in 2017, five out of the 15 votes hugged party lines.
Some votes got total support from senators, regardless of party.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio received immense support from senators and received 100% of the vote.
This occurred just once during Trump’s first term when David J. Shulkin was confirmed as secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Just three votes thus far in 2025 — for secretaries of energy and Homeland Security and for attorney general — stayed closer to party lines.
Republicans, again, have a majority in the Senate with 53 Republicans, compared to 45 Democrats and two independents. Vance’s former senate seat remains unoccupied.
Though Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote in favor of Bondi for attorney general, he joined six other Democrats, including Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, in confirming Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.
The two New Hampshire representatives, Sen. Maggie Hassan and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, voted “yes” to confirm both secretaries of energy and Homeland Security.
Six more cabinet positions remain unfilled. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation for Health and Human Services secretary recently advanced to a full Senate vote. The hearings in front of the full Senate have not been scheduled.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Do Trump’s Cabinet picks have more support now than in his last term? What votes show."
