Following months of Democratic resistance that had delayed the confirmation process to a standstill, Republicans invoked the so-called “nuclear option”—a party-line rules change—to expedite it.
For a brief period, some Republicans thought about permitting President Trump to nominate people during break, which would allow him to fill positions while the Senate was not in session. But in the end, GOP leaders turned down that notion, claiming it might backfire when their party is next in the minority.
