With 136 Trump nominees still pending, Senate GOP may cut August recess to accelerate confirmations amid Democratic delays.

Senate Considers Cancelling August Break

Senate Republican leadership is weighing a decision to cancel or shorten the traditional August recess, responding to President Donald Trump’s call to expedite the confirmation of dozens of his nominees stalled by Senate Democrats. Over the past six months, the Senate has confirmed 96 of the president’s selections, yet 136 nominations remain unresolved across a broad array of federal agencies and departments.

Historically, lawmakers have used the month of August to leave Washington, D.C., reconnect with their districts, and highlight legislative achievements. However, President Trump recently urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to keep senators in the capital and push through the outstanding nominations. “Hopefully the very talented John Thune, fresh off our many victories over the past two weeks and, indeed, 6 months, will cancel August recess (and long weekends!), in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed,” Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social. “We need them badly!!! DJT”

Thune acknowledged that he had discussed the recess with President Trump and that internal discussions were already underway prior to the request. “We’re thinking about it,” Thune commented. “We want to get as many noms through the pipeline as we can. And honestly, it’d be nice to have Democrats who actually would kind of act more according to historical precedents when it comes to this.”

Delays and Political Tensions

Senate Democrats have been accused of stalling tactics, with no nominee receiving approval through expedited procedures like the voice vote or unanimous consent; instead, each candidate has faced a floor vote. Notably, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was the only Trump nominee to be confirmed by a near-unanimous 99-0 tally. Earlier this year, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., endorsed delaying nominees who lacked unanimous chamber support and used procedural tools to hold up federal prosecutor confirmations in committee.

The unresolved nominations impact nearly every aspect of government, from the Defense and Commerce Departments to the Environmental Protection Agency and several ambassadorships. Among the high-profile nominees are Hung Cao, nominated for Navy undersecretary; Kimberly Guilfoyle, nominated as U.S. ambassador to Greece; and former Rep. Marc Molinaro, nominated to lead the Federal Transit Administration.

A senior GOP aide noted that conversations about a shortened recess predated the president’s formal request, highlighting the urgency within party leadership to advance the administration’s personnel agenda. “This is something that we’re very committed to, and we’re going to be looking at all the options in the next few weeks to try and get as many of those across the finish line as we can,” Thune said.

As the Senate prepares to make its decision, the outcome will determine how swiftly the remaining Trump administration appointments are confirmed, potentially reshaping key federal agencies and offices before the end of the legislative session.