Congress

How healthy are Donald Trump’s nominees?

Published

2 years ago

January 14, 2025

President-elect Donald Trump’s top nominees are about to go under the Senate spotlight.

Hearings kick off on Tuesday, and while some of Trump’s most controversial picks appear to be on track for confirmation, others remain short of the support they need, according to conversations with a half-dozen GOP senators and aides.

This week’s public questioning could be decisive: “Right now, I think it looks like smooth sailing, but sometimes unexpected things happen,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said.

With a 53-seat majority and incoming Vice President JD Vance available to break ties, the nominees could be in trouble if they lose support from more than three GOP senators. Several Republicans, whose comments are being closely watched by their colleagues, have been careful to stay publicly neutral on some.

But Republicans are also under fierce public pressure to move quickly toward confirmations, with Trump prepared to lash out publicly at any GOP lawmaker who waffles and some allies threatening potential primary challenges.

With that in mind, here’s a checkup on 18 of Trump’s most prominent nominees:

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 9:30 a.m., Senate Armed Services Committee

We might have had to make a “death watch” category a month ago, when Hegseth was swamped with allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse. But he has managed to resuscitate his chances at confirmation, denying any wrongdoing and riding a MAGA pressure campaign back into contention. And this week’s hearing in the Armed Services Committee could make or break whether he ultimately gets confirmed. The public grilling is guaranteed to revive many of the ugly headlines seen after Hegseth was nominated, but Trump has stood by him and his allies have made clear they will go after GOP senators who go wobbly. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham last week that Hegseth “has a path” to confirmation — still far from a guarantee.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services

Date TBA, Senate Finance and HELP Committees

Trump’s most endangered pick is the former Democrat with controversial views about, well, just about everything. Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) gave a less-than-enthusiastic readout of his recent meeting with Kennedy last week, saying that they had a “frank” conversation but declining to say if he would support Trump’s pick. His skeptical stance on vaccinations has garnered skepticism, and in some cases criticism, from Cassidy, as well as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Those four senators alone would be enough to sink Kennedy’s nomination on the floor; Collins and Murkowski also sit on HELP with Cassidy. Also problematic: his previous comments supporting abortion, which have irked anti-abortion groups. One key question: Can Kennedy win over any Democrats?

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence

DATE TBA, Senate Intelligence Committee

Early predictions were that Gabbard, an outspoken critic of the U.S. national security establishment, would have trouble gaining confirmation to the nation’s top intelligence role. But recently GOP senators have spoken positively about their private meetings with her, moving her forthcoming nomination out of DOA territory. That doesn’t mean she is safe: Republicans privately warn that Gabbard’s fate will likely be decided by her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which will include a closed-door session. And Gabbard’s chances might not be entirely under her control: “Her chances decrease as Hegseth’s improve,” said a person familiar with committee discussions about her nomination. “Republicans are concerned about Gabbard but don’t want to torpedo too many of Trump’s nominees.”

Kash Patel, FBI Director

DATE TBA, Senate Judiciary Committee

Trump’s pick of Patel to lead the FBI — effectively ousting Director Chris Wray before the end of his 10-year term — sent shockwaves through Washington, including in the Capitol where some Senate Republicans were hoping he would pick former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). But since then Patel has managed to assuage his GOP skeptics, or at least keep them on the fence, after a series of one-on-one meetings. Other top Republicans, including members of leadership, have predicted that he will be confirmed or downplayed concerns that he would use the FBI to carry out a vendetta against Trump’s political enemies. Expect Patel to face questions about that very topic during his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Pam Bondi, Attorney General

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 9:30 a.m., Senate Judiciary Committee

A former Florida attorney general, Bondi’s credentials have resonated far better with Senate Republicans than Trump’s original pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.). Picked for the gig just hours after Gaetz dropped out, she has won rave reviews from the Senate GOP ever since. That makes her chances of confirmation seem particularly strong. But it’s unlikely Bondi picks up much Democratic support, if any. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the top Judiciary Democrat, met with Bondi earlier this month, but came out with a scathing statement that doubted her suitability for the job. Bondi has been closely aligned with Trump for years and served as his personal attorney following his loss in the 2020 election. That’s led to concerns among Democrats on whether Bondi would separate her role as attorney general from her fealty to the president.

Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 9 a.m., Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

In Noem, Trump is seeking to put a fierce supporter in charge of carrying out his sweeping plan to crack down on immigration. Noem found herself at the center of a days-long controversy last year over an excerpt from her autobiography in which she wrote about fatally shooting her dog Cricket. And Democrats have also raised red flags over Trump’s border and immigration plans, which were at the center of his battles with his congress during his first administration. Yet Noem’s nomination has largely flown under the radar on Capitol Hill as she’s quietly met with senators ahead of her hearing.

Doug Burgum, Interior Secretary

Thursday, Jan. 16, 10 A.M., Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

The former North Dakota governor is expected to easily be confirmed, potentially even with bipartisan support. Yet his nomination became the center of a partisan committee clash last week that could inject tensions into his hearing this week. New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich, the Energy panel’s top Democrat, accused Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) of scheduling a hearing before the committee had received all of its paperwork; Republicans said they expected to have the documentation in time for the hearing. Expect Democrats to grill Burgum on Trump’s vows to undo Biden clean energy policies.

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary

Date TBA, Senate HELP Committee

Chavez-DeRemer might be the closest Trump gets to reaching across the aisle: Though she’s a former Republican House member, she was also a co-sponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act last Congress, organized labor’s top legislative priority. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien is among those supporting Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination. But while there are a few semi-labor-friendly Senate Republicans, they are rare. Most are firmly opposed to expanding union rights and are looking for Trump’s Labor secretary to roll back Biden administration regulations. Still, there’s little sign they’ll put up roadblocks here, even with some in the business community fidgeting over her nomination. She might even pick up a few Democrats along the way.

Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m., Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

Duffy — a former House Republican from Wisconsin, Fox Business personality and “Real World” alumnus — is expected to be easily confirmed. Some Democrats have already indicated that they will support him, absent a major misstep. Duffy beat out two other members of Congress who were also viewed as in the running: Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and former Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.). He’ll take over the department that is dealing with a spate of recent near-collisions on runways plus aging aviation equipment.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m., Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The Florida senator is arguably in the best shape for confirmation of any of Trump’s nominees. Senators already know him. As the former ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a longtime Foreign Relations member, his international affairs chops are hard to assail. And he has solid relationships with members on both sides of the aisle, with a number of Senate Democrats already pledging to support his nomination on the floor. If Democrats give Trump any Day One confirmations, expect Rubio to be among them.

Chris Wright, Energy Secretary

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 10 a.m., Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Wright, a longtime oil industry CEO with skeptical views on climate change, will be hard to swallow for Democrats but appears perfectly fine to Republicans. Wright’s policy preferences are well in line with the president-elect’s: He’s been critical of efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources. Members of the Senate GOP have lauded the pick, including members of leadership, pointing to a speedy confirmation.

Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary

Thursday, Jan. 16, 10:30 a.m., Senate Finance Committee

Bessent has been coasting through his meetings with lawmakers and staff — teeing up a swift path to confirmation for the longtime hedge fund manager. Republicans have quickly coalesced behind him, while moderate Democrats haven’t totally ruled out supporting him on the floor. Bessent has been a Wall Street ally to Trump and joined the president-elect on the campaign trail at multiple points this cycle to talk economic policy. Bessent worked closely in the past with Democratic megadonor George Soros, but that doesn’t appear to be weighing him down among conservatives. Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) has committed to moving Bessent’s nomination quickly.

Elise Stefanik, United Nations Ambassador

Thursday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m., Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The New York congresswoman, once among Trump’s most ardent allies on Capitol Hill, appears to be on a glide path to confirmation. Though Stefanik frequently tangled with Democrats during her time in Congress, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, offered a politely worded statement after their meeting. Republicans view Stefanik as a pick who could potentially be confirmed on Jan. 20 — though that would likely require buy-in from every Democrat to speed up the schedule.

Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Secretary

Thursday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m., Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee

Turner is a relative cipher among Trump’s slate of Cabinet nominees: He previously headed up the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term, working with so-called “opportunity zone” tax incentives. But that post did not require Senate confirmation for the former NFL player, who now works as a motivational speaker and as “chief visionary officer” for a Texas-based housing developer. He’ll face tough Democratic questions over Trump’s plans to Biden initiatives at HUD, but expect little GOP skepticism.

Doug Collins, Veterans Affairs Secretary

Date TBA, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee

Trump’s pick of the former House Republican from Georgia would put a long-time loyalist — one who helped lead the opposition to his 2019 impeachment in the House Judiciary Committee — in charge of the sprawling, politically sensitive VA. While Collins was viewed by many as a surprise pick, his nomination has not generated major partisan fireworks, and he’s expected to easily be confirmed. Still, expect Collins to field questions from Democrats on whether he has plans to further privatize the department.

Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary

Date TBA, Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

Lutnick parlayed his role as transition co-chair into a Cabinet nomination, and Trump has already tasked the billionaire megadonor with carrying out some commerce-related talks — including meeting with Canadian representatives to discuss upcoming trade negotiations, with Trump’s tariff threats weighing heavily on the North American alliance. There’s been little sign of pushback from Republicans, and he’s picked up a few nice words, at least, from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who met with the nominee last month. Schumer said in a statement that he’s known the fellow New Yorker for years and that “he’s an intelligent and capable man.”

Linda McMahon, Education Secretary

Date TBA, Senate HELP Committee

McMahon has been making rounds with committee staff and members since late last year. Her credentials for the job are more about her status as a longtime Trump loyalist and current co-chair of his transition team than her life experience, though she did serve for a year on the Connecticut Board of Education. That said, McMahon is likely to easily slide toward confirmation. The former professional wrestling executive previously served as head of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, meaning most Republican senators are comfortable with her, even if her views on education are somewhat opaque.

Brooke Rollins, Agriculture Secretary

Date TBA, Senate Agriculture Committee

Rollins is expected to easily gain confirmation, with support from several Democrats likely. The bipartisan backing for Rollins had made her a potential Day One confirmation, which requires buy-in from all 100 senators to move quickly, but the schedule for moving her forthcoming nomination has hit paperwork delays. Her hearing hasn’t yet been scheduled, and Republicans say they expect Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) to give seven days’ notice before holding one.

Jasper Goodman, Meredith Lee Hill, Eleanor Mueller and John Sakellariadis contributed to this report.

Congress

Capitol agenda: Republicans hope Trump won’t dominate Dallas

Published

7 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Republicans are hoping President Donald Trump won’t make this week’s GOP midterm convention all about himself.

The president — with his approval rating at record lows for his time in office amid the conflict in Iran, trade wars and inflation — is slated to be at the center of the two-day spectacle in Dallas beginning Wednesday.

GOP lawmakers, candidates, donors and party officials said in interviews they are counting on Trump to draw a contrast with Democrats rather than prosecute his personal grievances.

Rep. Riley Moore said in an interview the event is a “scene-setter” that should stay laser-focused on “what’s on the line” for voters in the election:

— GOP WINS: Republicans are eager for fresh promotion of the tax cuts in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, even if some don’t think Trump is the right spokesperson.

Though the first national TV ads funded by the president’s cash-rich political operation place him at the center, one touting provisions in the megabill was more up congressional Republicans’ alley. Several are hoping for that kind of focus at the convention.

“It’s incredibly important that we highlight what we’ve accomplished,” said Rep. Derrick Van Orden. “That’s the perfect venue for that.”

— DINGING DEMS: One consensus message Republicans want the convention oriented around is the choice between their legislative record and a Democratic Party they argue has moved way too far left.

“You’ve got Republicans that are campaigning on commonsense ideas. You’ve got Democrats that are being drawn to the absolute most extreme left of their party,” said Rep. Brian Jack, a deputy chair of the House GOP campaign arm. “So I expect each night to see that on full display.”

“The Democratic Party has taken a turn for the worse recently,” added Rep. Nick LaLota. “America needs to be quite aware of that as they make their decision here in November.”

LaLota is just one of scores of Republican members who are choosing not to travel to the convention — which has a price tag of $25,000 and up for lawmakers attending. Some of those Republicans said they have scheduling conflicts or simply want to campaign back home.

But they still have an interest in how the event goes off and what impression it gives voters.

“I’m going to look forward to listening to it on the radio as I’m driving down the road, going from one spot in my district to another,” Rep. Morgan Griffith said.

What else we’re watching:

— TRAHAN BYPASSES LEADERSHIP BID FOR AI —- Rep. Lori Trahan’s decision last week to forgo a leadership bid and instead focus on developing artificial intelligence policy surprised some of her colleagues. But in an interview Friday, Trahan brushed off the idea that efforts to broker a bipartisan AI deal thwarted her run to serve as Democrats’ vice chair. Instead, she said her work in the complex policy space had drummed up support from many House Democrats, but she ultimately wants to prioritize regulating the issue next year.

— ROUNDS AIDE’S SIDE GIG RAISES EYEBROWS — A senior staffer for Sen. Mike Rounds has quietly worked as a lobbyist for Meta and other high-profile clients. The unusual agreement for Robert Skjonsberg, who has worked for Rounds for over a decade, has raised questions from watchdog groups about ethics and possible conflicts of interest. Rounds spokesperson Dezmond Ward told Blue Light News his office’s general counsel consulted with the Senate’s ethics panel, “which provided guidance to make certain there was and is no conflict of interest.”

Mia McCarthy, Riley Rogerson, Kelsey Brugger and Jacob Wendler contributed to this report.

Congress

Republicans are hoping ‘Trump-a-palooza’ isn’t only about Trump

Published

10 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

President Donald Trump will be at the center of this week’s GOP midterm convention. Many of his fellow Republicans are hoping he doesn’t make it all about him.

The parade of lawmakers, candidates, donors and party officials now headed to Dallas for the two-day spectacle are counting on Trump to make a compelling pitch on the national stage before voters hit the polls.

According to interviews with dozens of Republicans, they are largely hoping for a two-pronged approach aimed at getting the president’s committed supporters off the sidelines: a focus on what they call Democrats’ extreme positions and the accomplishments of the Republican Congress — most of which are now more than a year old.

“Communism vs. common sense,” Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) said in an interview, calling the event a “scene-setter” that should stay laser-focused on “what’s on the line” for voters in the election.

Republicans have reasons to be wary. Trump’s approval ratings are at record lows for his time in office, and many swing-district GOP lawmakers are torn between running from an unpopular president and alienating his base of committed supporters.

There is little evidence Trump is content to let rank-and-file Republicans run away from him. The first pair of national midterm ads funded by his cash-rich political operation put Trump at the very center.

One ad begins with businessman Dana White extolling Trump as “the toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met.”

The other is more up congressional Republicans’ alley, with a Trump voiceover running through a litany of tax cuts included in last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Even if not all agree Trump is the party’s best spokesperson at this point, they are eager to see a new effort to promote the tax cuts, which were enacted in July 2025, and want to see them touted anew in Dallas.

“It’s incredibly important that we highlight what we’ve accomplished,” Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) said in an interview. “That’s the perfect venue for that.”

“It’s a great opportunity for us to brag about what the Republican Party has done the last year and a half,” added Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Texas). “So certainly talking about the One Big Beautiful Bill.”

While Van Orden and Goldman are attending the convention, which kicks off Wednesday and ends Thursday, many other lawmakers and candidates are staying back in their districts. Some of those Republicans said they have scheduling conflicts or simply want to campaign back home.

But there are also qualms about Trump’s obsession with priorities that many of them consider off-message ahead of the midterms — such as pressuring Congress to take up the GOP elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.

As GOP lawmakers begged Trump to get serious about tackling the high cost of living, the president has instead openly scoffed at “affordability” as an issue concocted by Democrats to hurt Republicans.

He refused for months to help pass a major legislative package over the summer designed to help lower housing costs, and his trade wars and ongoing conflict with Iran have contributed to persistent inflation. A recent import deal designed to address rising beef prices came at the cost of upsetting American cattlemen.

Speaker Mike Johnson brushed off a question last week about the risk of having candidates show up at a Trump-focused event given his disapproval ratings.

“It was the president’s idea, which is why he’s getting credit for it, and it’s rightfully so,” Johnson said. “I think it’s going to be an extraordinary opportunity for us to get a couple of nights on national television to talk about our extraordinary record of achievement.”

Other Republicans said the president was well positioned to send a message of “promises made, promises kept.”

“Politics 101 is just telling folks what you’re going to do, and then come to Washington and do it, and then go back and tell them what you did,” said Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.). “When you look at President Trump’s agenda, securing the border, we’ve done that. That he wanted to make the tax cuts permanent, we’ve done that.”

“Peace through strength — and I think we have moved in that direction,” he added. “Obviously, we got detoured to this journey over in Iran.”

If there is one consensus message Republicans want the convention oriented around, it’s the choice between the legislative record Trump will be touting and a Democratic Party that they argue has moved way too far to the left — especially as progressive candidates, some of them democratic socialists, continue to win key primaries.

Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.), a deputy chair of the House GOP campaign arm, said “you’re going to see on full display each night a contrast that we’ve never seen before in politics.”

“You’ve got Republicans that are campaigning on commonsense ideas. You’ve got Democrats that are being drawn to the absolute most extreme left of their party,” he said. “So I expect each night to see that on full display.”

RNC national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre also said in a statement that the event would “put front and center Democrats’ desire to abolish police and prisons, raise costs, and strip away our freedoms,” while also promoting “Republicans’ historic achievements.”

“The Democratic Party has taken a turn for the worse recently,” added Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), who is in a competitive race and not attending the convention. “America needs to be quite aware of that as they make their decision here in November.”

LaLota is just one of scores of Republican members who are choosing not to travel to the convention — which has a price tag of $25,000 and up for lawmakers attending — but who have an interest in how the event goes off and what impression it gives voters.

Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) called the midterm convention — the first held since Democrats did them in the late 1970s and early 1980s — “an interesting concept” and said he would be paying close attention to the size of the television audience. But he said he would be back in his safe red district campaigning.

“I’m going to look forward to listening to it on the radio as I’m driving down the road, going from one spot in my district to another,” he said.

Jordain Carney and Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.

Congress

The House Democrat who’s making AI regulation her No. 1 priority

Published

10 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Rep. Lori Trahan’s decision last week to forgo a leadership bid to instead focus on developing artificial intelligence policy surprised some of her colleagues. It also left some of them wondering whether her thwarted attempt to work across the aisle on the subject was what doomed her prospects.

In an interview Friday, the Massachusetts Democrat brushed off the idea that efforts to broker an AI deal with a Republican backfired. She said the opposite was true: Many House Democrats told her she should run for caucus vice chair because of her work in this complex policy space.

“Look, I spent August really thinking it through, and it came down to a simple question that I think a lot of people don’t ask themselves enough, and that’s just: What I’m most passionate about?” Trahan recalled.

It turned out that the chance to help Democrats formulate a vision for how to regulate a rapidly evolving industry was what she couldn’t pass up.

“When I commit to something,” she said, “I go all in.”

There’s no guarantee Trahan will be successful, with members of both parties reluctant to work together and slamming each other over the issue on the campaign trail. But Trahan isn’t retreating or shying away from her work with Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.).

She spoke with Blue Light News about how she sees the AI landscape from a political and policy perspective, capping off a week of major developments in Washington — including the introduction of an aggressive plan to pause development of superintelligence models, an escalation in Democratic attacks on Republicans for the rise of data centers, President Donald Trump’s vow to “Let Data Reign,” and new reporting about a tech industry giant’s attempts to talk Trump out of onerous regulations.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries came out swinging this past week in trying to pin the proliferation of data centers on Republicans. What do you think of Democratic messaging on this?

I do think that the Republicans are having trouble reconciling what the president is saying with what their constituents are demanding, and that, I’ll just say, people aren’t imagining this. They’re already feeling it … in their electric bill. They see it when a new data center gets proposed down the road.

They’re obviously reading headlines about AI models that break out of their own labs, and I think those worries are legitimate. So I don’t think the folks are necessarily antitechnology, but they want to know that somebody’s watching this — that the most powerful technology in human history isn’t running on the honor system, and right now, it basically is.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar has made a huge push for Democrats to be, as he put it, “AI populists.” What do you think of progressives trying to carve out a lane for themselves on AI, and what has your work with them on this issue been like?

I think for a long time, the hardest part of this job was convincing people that this is an issue that couldn’t wait. I think that part is largely over, right? AI is advancing at a staggering pace, and the risks are scaling right alongside the capabilities. So I think after a summer of breaches … members on both sides, they’re just done waiting, and I think you’re seeing a wave of proposals … I think that just reflects a new sense of urgency in Congress that I couldn’t be happier to see.

Casar and Sen. Bernie Sanders announced a plan to ban the development of AI “superintelligence” and pause work on cutting-edge models until an agency is stood up to monitor risk. What is your reaction to the proposal?

My team and I are still reviewing the bill, obviously gathering feedback from the safety community, so I’m not going to prejudge the details. Of course, I share the concern driving it. I mean, these companies are losing control of their own models, and they’ve said so themselves.

I’m always a little cautious about outright bans, moratoriums, or blanket pauses because you really only get one shot at something like that, and if you time it wrong, you can end up worse off. … You trigger a backlash that chokes off the chance to put sensible, durable guardrails in place in the future.

A permanent ban with no path to passage, that doesn’t protect anyone. … But right now I get most nervous that we’re not passing the bill that can pass, that matches sort of where we are right now, which is, models escaping their environment and us relying on the honor system from these companies.

You are referring to your bill with Obernolte, which would establish a national framework for regulating advanced AI models. What’s happening with it? You were pushing for committee action before the midterms. That seems all but impossible now.

The calendar isn’t on our side before the midterms … so I have shifted my focus to before the end of the year. I think that’s the realistic window to get this done this year. Jay and I are working our respective sides of the aisle. … I talked to a lot of rank-and-file members on both sides of the aisle, and they’re all scratching their heads, wondering why we’re not taking this up.

So why do you think it hasn’t moved?

I don’t sit in the minds or the rooms of Republican leadership. … I am worried that they are comfortable with the president sort of managing this through executive fiat rather than putting something in place that is durable and predictable.

I’m hoping that with internal pressure and with external pressure, that the leadership, Speaker [Mike] Johnson and Leader [Steve] Scalise, will take this up and debate it at a minimum.

What is your reaction to the phone call our colleagues reported on, where Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg urged Trump to scrap a plan to stand up a federal AI regulator?

I think that there are a lot of members of Congress who have ideas in terms of how this gets regulated.

Reasonable people can disagree on what regulatory construct we come up with. What I don’t think the American people agree with is that Mark Zuckerberg and President Trump are going to figure that out on a phone call.

Democrats have been fairly scattered on AI policy this Congress, and that could make it difficult for the party to unify around a policy platform while still negotiating with Republicans. How are you thinking about the next Congress?

I’m excited about next Congress just because I know when Democrats are in the majority, we’re going to get to work. … I think the fact that Democrats are talking about it a ton and we’re not under the thumb of the leader of our party, so that we can’t say or reflect any of the concerns that we hear back at home, it’s how it should be.

The fact that we’re able to have those conversations and we’re all coming from diverse places is a good thing. I think that’s what the American people want to see. They want to see us engage in every corner of the country in terms of concerns around AI and have a debate about it.

That’s not happening right now. Right now, we’re mostly just hearing from the president having a phone call with a rich tech executive or using export controls at his discretion.