However, the journey to confirmation is far from over.
According to The Independent, Trump recently nominated Jay Bhattacharya, a physician who argued against lockdown measures during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, for the role of director of the National Institutes of Health. This follows his nomination of Marty Makary, who controversially suggested that only 20 percent of Americans needed to receive a Covid-19 vaccine for the US to reach “herd immunity,” to head the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, Trump nominated Glen Weldon, a former Florida congressman who propagated the debunked theory that a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines causes autism, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, these nominations must now face the Senate for confirmation, where Republicans hold a 53-seat majority. Trump was served a reality check last week when Matt Gaetz, the embattled former Republican congressman, withdrew his nomination for attorney general due to anticipated Senate opposition.
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During his term, President Joe Biden faced opposition from conservative Democrats-turned-independents Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Now, Trump may face a similar challenge from within his own party. Here are the Republican senators who could potentially obstruct Trump’s agenda.
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Susan Collins, the Republican senator from Maine, has occasionally shown opposition to Trump. Despite her support for Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation in 2018, she opposed the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court in 2020 and voted to convict the president-elect following his actions on January 6. As chairwoman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins collaborates with Democrats to write the budget. She hails from a state with ranked-choice voting, which shields her from a challenge from the right.
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Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, another Republican senator, has also shown frustration with Trump's antics. Like Collins, she voted to convict Trump in 2021, supported Nikki Haley for the Republican nomination, and opposed the Republican repeal of Obamacare in 2017. Murkowski is not up for re-election until 2028, and Alaska's recent decision to maintain ranked-choice voting protects her from a MAGA primary challenge.
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John Curtis of Utah, who will succeed Mitt Romney, is another potential roadblock. Curtis, like Romney, is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah, a group that has historically expressed skepticism of Trump. As a congressman, Curtis founded the Conservative Climate Caucus and occasionally voted with Democrats. However, he has often voted in line with his party, even opposing the bipartisan infrastructure bill that Romney brokered.
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Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, the longtime Senate majority leader, may also surprise some as a potential obstacle to Trump's agenda. Despite his role in enabling Trump's two presidencies, his departure from leading the Republican conference allows him more freedom to dissent. McConnell will likely use his position as chairman of the influential Senate Rules Committee and leader of the Appropriations Subcommittee for defense spending to support Ukraine in its fight against Vladimir Putin, a cause he wants to be his legacy.
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Lastly, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who hails from a swing state and has always survived in tight races, may also pose a challenge. During the Biden presidency, he brokered deals on a range of issues, from protections for same-sex and interracially married couples to infrastructure to guns. However, his lukewarm response to Matt Gaetz's nomination has made him a target for some on the MAGA right, and he will likely face a primary challenger when he is up for re-election in 2026.
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The political landscape is a complex and ever-changing arena. As Trump's nominations face the Senate for confirmation, it will be interesting to see how these potential roadblocks play out. The future of Trump's administration and its policies may very well hinge on the decisions of these key Republican senators.
