Senate confirms 48 Trump nominees at once after GOP changed the chamber's rules

Senate confirms 48 Trump nominees at once after GOP changed the chamber’s rules Politics Sep 18, 2025 6:18 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees at once, voting for the first time under new rules to begin clearing a backlog of executive branch positions that had been delayed by Democrats.

Frustrated by the stalling tactics, Senate Republicans moved last week to make it easier to confirm large groups of lower-level, non-judicial nominations. Democrats had forced multiple votes on almost every one of Trump’s picks, infuriating the president and tying up the Senate floor.

READ MORE: A Senate rules change flying under the radar

The new rules allow Senate Republicans to move multiple nominees with a simple majority vote — a process that