Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) mentioned he’ll vote towards two of President Trump’s most controversial Cupboard nominees: Tulsi Gabbard, his decide for director of nationwide intelligence, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nominee for Secretary of Well being and Human Providers.
“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings,” Fetterman wrote Thursday in a press release on the social platform X.
“After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations.”
Each nominees lately superior with suggestions from their respective committees in party-line votes.
Gabbard has confronted criticism from the precise for previous feedback in assist of pardoning Edward Snowden, who leaked categorized U.S. authorities surveillance info. She’s additionally been criticized for public remarks that appeared to echo the Kremlin’s arguments justifying its warfare in Ukraine, and for a 2017 go to to Syria for an undisclosed assembly with then-President Bashar Assad after his regime used chemical weapons by itself folks.
Kennedy sparked opposition for a number of controversial statements and positions, most notably his skepticism of vaccines. Public well being advocates have voiced fears of a pointy decline in vaccine immunizations if he’s confirmed.
Fetterman represents a state President Trump simply received in November’s elections, and he is signaled a willingness to contemplate working with Trump on some points.
The Pennsylvania senator has voted with GOP members to substantiate Lawyer Normal Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Safety Kristi Noem and Secretary of Housing and City Growth Scott Turner.
He didn’t assist White Home Workplace of Administration and Finances Director Russell Vought or Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth.
