Senate advances Trump's controversial Pentagon nominee

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

04/07/25 7:01 PM ET


The Senate voted largely along party lines Monday to advance Elbridge Colby, President Trump’s controversial pick to serve as the Defense Department under secretary for policy, overcoming the private concerns of several Republican senators about Colby’s past statements. The chamber voted 53-39 to limit debate on the nominee.

Notably, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), an outspoken advocate for projecting American military strength throughout the world and supporting NATO allies, voted for Colby, reflecting the general shift in sentiment in favor of Colby over recent weeks.

Several Democrats voted for the nominee, including Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sens. Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (Mich.), two lawmakers from swing states who also sit on the Armed Services panel.

Colby was passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month in a closed-door vote. The committee didn’t announce its vote tally, but it’s safe to assume that all Republicans on the panel voted for him since they hold a narrow 14-13 majority on the panel and Democrats had expressed strong opposition to his nomination.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5236726-senate-elbridge-colby-defense/

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For cloture, 3 (D)s noted in the OP voted "yea", 39 "nay" and 5 (D)s/(I)s didn't vote -

Not Voting - 8

Booker (D-NJ)
Cruz (R-TX)
Curtis (R-UT)
Fetterman (D-PA)
Gallego (D-AZ)
Ossoff (D-GA)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sheehy (R-MT)

[LymphocyteLover]

1. WHY are any Dems voting for any Trump pick? Especially a problematic one?

[returnee]

2. Exactly. Why?

I expect full and complete opposition to anything and everything TSF proposes.

[Autumn]

3. Democrats had expressed strong opposition to his nomination.Not stong enough

Democrats turned around and voted to advance his nomination where in the house it will pass. Okay.

[travelingthrulife]

4. Good to see that Republican Senators and some Democrats have not learned one thing yet.

[Polybius]

5. So why was Blumenthal saying yesterday that he'd put a hold on all Trump nominees?

I knew he didn't have that kind of power.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told us today he plans to place holds on all Trump nominees going forward. Blumenthal sits on four committees — Judiciary, Homeland Security, Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs — which oversee a wide range of administration officials.

Sen. Blumenthal says he'll place a hold on ALL Trump nominees moving forward

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Because (from the OP)

Colby was passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month

Blumenthal announced that AFTER Colby had ALREADY advanced out of the Committee that he sits on. He had probably voted against him then but we are obviously in the minority on every Committee. The "holds" usually happen while they are still in Committee under consideration.