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Thune plunges into weekend standoff over Trump confirmations

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is making good on his threat to keep the Senate working after hours, vowing to go straight through the weekend if Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) doesn't cut a deal to speed things up.

Why it matters: Pete Hegseth for Defense is expected to get a final confirmation vote around 9pm ET on Friday, if Democrats take up the full 30 hours of debate time.


  • Kristi Noem for Homeland Security is up next, with a cloture vote tomorrow and a final vote landing between 3 and 4am on Sunday.
  • Scott Bessent for Treasury follows, then Sean Duffy for Transportation. Their final votes could be pushed into early next week.

Zoom in: Hegseth lost two GOP votes β€” Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine β€” in Thursday's procedural vote.

  • But some Republicans hope Democrats will be more willing to cut deals on the other nominations.
  • Noem, Bessent and Duffy were approved by their relevant committees with bipartisan support.
  • Noem had just two "no" votes against her and Duffy's vote was unanimous.

The other side: CIA Director John Ratcliffe also won bipartisan support in committee, but Schumer still allowed Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) to ensure the confirmation process took as long as possible.

Hegseth wins critical vote to be Pentagon chief

Pete Hegseth cleared a major hurdle on his path to be President Trump's Defense secretary, with all but two of the Senate's Republican members supporting him in a Thursday procedural vote.

Why it matters: President Trump's defense secretary nominee now has a clearer path to confirmation despite "no" votes from GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine.)


  • The Senate voted 51-49 to limit debate on the nomination.
  • Hegseth's candidacy has been beset with scandal since Trump announced his selection.
  • Despite early uncertainty, Republicans have largely rallied around him, and the Armed Services Committee recommended his nomination Monday via a nail-biter 14-13 vote.

The intrigue: Former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted to advance Hegseth's nomination, despite some concern he would oppose it.

  • Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted no, after missing votes earlier in the day.
  • This is just a procedural vote, and senators can change their vote during the final confirmation roll call.

What's next: Thursday's vote likely sets up a Friday confirmation vote.

  • Hegseth has been accused of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement. He has denied the accusations.
  • The latest allegation came in a sworn affidavit from Hegseth's former sister-in-law who said the defense secretary nominee's ex-wife feared for her safety.

Scoop: New GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno introduces bill cracking down on asylum

Freshman Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) will introduce his first piece of legislation on Thursday β€” a bill that would significantly restrict access to asylum.

Why it matters: Moreno, a Colombian immigrant, won the most expensive Senate campaign in history with a big focus on cracking down on the border.


  • Some of the policies Moreno proposes in his bill mirror executive actions President Trump has already put in place, such as Remain in Mexico.

Zoom in: The bill will be titled Refugees Using Legal Entry Safely β€” or "RULES" β€” Act.

It would:

  • Require asylum seekers to file their application at legal ports of entry, refusing access to those who illegally cross the border.
  • Stops the release of asylum seekers into the U.S. before their cases are decided.
  • Prevents someone from applying for asylum again if they have already been denied once.
  • Restrict anyone who is caught by law enforcement out of legal immigration status from claiming asylum.

What he's saying: "If you want to live in this country, you have to respect our laws, and that starts at our borders," Moreno said in a statement.

  • "But our broken asylum system has overwhelmed our borders with millions of migrants who enter the country illegally, claim asylum, and are just released into the county."

Snowden support threatens Tulsi Gabbard's Senate confirmation

Some Senate Republicans are zeroing in on Tulsi Gabbard's 2020 call for the U.S. to drop charges against Edward Snowden, a man many of them still consider a traitor.

Why it matters: Gabbard is quickly becoming the most endangered Trump nominee.


  • "There's definitely a risk that she won't even survive the committee process," one Republican senator told Axios, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
  • Gabbard is Trump's nominee to be director of national intelligence.

Zoom in: Most of the concerns about Gabbard have so far been sparked by a trip she took to Syria, her references to U.S. bio labs in Ukraine and a history of questioning the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.

Now it's her stance on Snowden, a former NSA contractor who was charged in 2013 with leaking classified documents revealing global surveillance programs. He became a naturalized Russian citizen in 2022.

  • As a member of Congress, Gabbard sponsored a House resolution with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) "expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal Government should drop all charges against Edward Snowden."
  • Only recently has this come to the attention of Republicans sitting on the Senate Intelligence Committee β€” and elsewhere in the conference, multiple sources familiar told Axios.
  • Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Axios she is concerned about the legislation, adding that "it's something that came up in my own review of [Gabbard's] record."

Between the lines: "There is not one GOP senator on record opposing Lt. Col. Gabbard's nomination," Gabbard spokesperson Alexa Henning told us in a statement.

  • Henning pointed to bipartisan senators on Intel "who have shown positive support for her nomination and qualifications."

The bottom line: Even if Gabbard were to fail to get the votes necessary to be recommended by the Intel committee, there would be ways for her nomination to still be considered on the floor.

  • Those processes would be more complicated β€” and in some cases, highly unlikely to succeed.
  • Gabbard's team has already written off Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), as we told you last week.

Scoop: ICE returns to calling immigrants "aliens"

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership has directed employees to refer to foreign nationals as "aliens" in all "internal and external communications," according to an internal memo obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The early Trump move is both in line with anti-DEI and hardline immigration rhetoric.


  • The new memo is another sign of how the administration came in ready to make clear their aggressive stance on combatting illegal immigration, right away.
  • Immigration advocates criticize the term for being offensive, while immigration restrictionists defend using "alien" because it's what's used in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
  • Shortly after taking office, former President Biden's team moved away from the statutory language, pushing for more "more inclusive" words instead.

Driving the news: Acting ICE director Caleb Vitello is reverting the language guidance back, according to a memo dated Tuesday and addressed to agency leadership.

  • The directive rescinds the memo from 2021, which had changed the official terminology from "alien" to "noncitizen."
  • The new directive from Vitello specifies that instead of "noncitizen," employees are to use the term "alien." It also replaces "noncitizenship" with "alienage."

Zoom out: Trump has made clear for years that he intends an explosive and sweeping crackdown on immigration to the U.S. in his second term.

  • He has already signed orders to resume his Remain in Mexico policy, end birthright citizenship, declare a national emergency at the border, halt refugee admissions, among other actions.

Trump's early marching orders for Thune and Johnson

President Trump pushed his top two leaders to play outside the lines in Tuesday's White House meetings.

Why it matters: Trump hasn't shown much interest in resolving the GOP's big internal fight over reconciliation strategy. But he's showing a high level of interest in how to gain leverage over the Democrats.


  • Trump urged Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to be ready to roll on recess appointments if Democrats gum up confirmations, Politico reports.
  • Trump told Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that California wildfire aid could be good leverage to get the big debt limit hike he's been pushing.

After the meeting, Johnson disputed suggestions from reporters that the House and Senate were still divided on process, insisting they had "a plan pretty well formulated now.

  • Thune said the discussion was more focused on "what we can get done," he said. "We're obviously all interested in getting to the same destination."
  • That doesn't sound like identical readouts of the same meeting.

The bottom line: At this stage, the GOP trifecta seems to be spending more time admiring its problems than solving them.

Scoop: Hannity scores first Trump 2.0 Oval Office interview

Fox News host Sean Hannity will interview President Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday. It's Trump's first Oval interview since returning to the White House.

Why it matters: Trump has hinted at shaking up the briefing room and allies have praised unconventional news sources. But his first sit-down is with a longstanding, well-known TV host on the president's beloved network.


  • The interview will be pre-taped and will air on Hannity's Wednesday night program, which starts at 9pm EST.
  • Trump is expected to discuss his second presidential term, recent executive orders and what to expect from the first 100 days, Fox exclusively confirmed to Axios.

Between the lines: Trump tapped 19 people for his administration who have worked for the news company at one point, according to an analysis by NPR.

  • Hannity's show averages 2.8 million viewers, the highest rated cable show for the hour.

Flashback: Trump gave his first TV interview to ABC's David Muir his first time around.

Senate confirms Marco Rubio to lead Trump's State Department

The Senate voted 99-0 on Monday to confirm Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as President Trump's secretary of state.

Why it matters: Rubio will be instrumental in making good on many of Trump's grandest campaign promises β€” from ending the war in Ukraine to countering China's growing influence to implementing a ceasefire deal in Gaza.


  • The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted unanimously earlier Monday to recommend Rubio's confirmation, and Democrats cleared the way for an expedited process.
  • It's a resounding show of Senate bipartisanship for one of their own.

Zoom in: The 53-year-old Floridian has served in the Senate since 2011. He ran for president in 2016 before dropping out and endorsing Trump. He was on Trump's 2024 vice presidential shortlist.

  • Rubio, who would be the first Latino secretary of state, opposes normalizing relations with Cuba and is a noted China hawk.
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped the state's attorney general, Ashley Moody, to replace Rubio in the Senate, as Axios first reported.

Zoom out: Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which will enter into its fourth year next month, will be one of the Trump administration's greatest foreign policy challenges.

  • Trump and his allies have criticized how the Biden administration has handled the conflict. The GOP has been fractured in the past year over whether the U.S. should continue sending aid to Ukraine.
  • Rubio testified last week that both Russia and Ukraine need to make concessions to end the conflict.
  • Rubio voted against $95 billion in Ukraine aid in April, and has called for Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war with Russia β€” even if that means Russia keeps some of the territory from the invasion.

Senate passes Laken Riley Act

The Senate on Monday passed the Laken Riley Act, setting the immigration crackdown bill for a vote in the House later this week.

Why it matters: The legislation could be on President Trump's desk by the end of this week, handing him an early win on a core campaign promise.


  • The bill passed the chamber 64-35, with 12 Democrats voting for it.
  • The Laken Riley Act would require the detention of undocumented immigrants arrested for certain crimes.
  • The bill is named for a 22-year-old nursing student who was killed on the University of Georgia campus.

The big picture: Senate Democrats helped the Laken Riley Act prevail, with 10 voting to break a filibuster last week.

  • The party is still trying to find its footing on immigration and the border after it lost the White House and both chambers of Congress in last year's election.

Between the lines: The Senate passed two amendments to the bill over the past week, including one Monday night before the vote.

  • One brought by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) requires ICE to detain undocumented immigrants who attack law enforcement.
  • Another brought by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) adds those who commit crimes resulting in death or bodily injury.

Go deeper: ICE warns Laken Riley Act could force it to release detained migrants

Laken Riley Act gives John Thune his first big win as Senate GOP leader

Senate Majority Leader John Thune notched his first big win Friday by clearing the filibuster on the Laken Riley Act. It'll almost certainly pass Monday with ease.

Why it matters: It's a specific, popular, bipartisan bill. But it also hands Thune a chance to prove he's serious about promises made during the GOP leadership election.


  • Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told Axios: "What we can feel good about is we're having a lot more conversations about what we're doing." Scott ran against Thune for leader.
  • Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) told Axios that Thune "says what he means and means what he says when he talks about having a more open amendment process." Lee wants a more open process and backed Scott in November.

Zoom in: Thune spent days haggling with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over the bill, which requires ICE to detain immigrants charged with or convicted of theft.

  • Thune and Schumer agreed Wednesday to allow two votes on amendments. One passed, which would require ICE to detain immigrants who attack law enforcement.
  • Senators will vote Monday on another amendment from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) that would add to the detention list immigrants who commit crimes resulting in death or bodily injury. It's likely to pass.
  • Because of the change, the House will have to pass the bill again before it reaches President-elect Trump's desk.

Zoom out: Nearly a quarter of Senate Dems proved they're willing to help break a filibuster for GOP priorities.

  • Schumer privately told Democrats they were free to engage with the GOP on the bill, before he publicly opposed it once it was clear that substantive changes weren't happening.
  • His defectors included new Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
  • Schumer also lost Georgia's Jon Ossoff, Arizona's Mark Kelly, Michigan's Gary Peters, Nevada's Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, and New Hampshire's Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen.

Scoop: Trump team sweats McConnell's vote on Tulsi Gabbard

Former Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) conspicuous silence is starting to spook Tulsi Gabbard's team.

Why it matters: President-elect Trump Trump's transition thinks Gabbard, the nominee for director of national intelligence, can get confirmed even with a "no" vote from McConnell. But his public opposition β€” if it materializes β€” could open the door to other GOP defectors.


  • Gabbard's team isn't banking on McConnell's vote, sources tell Axios.
  • McConnell is studiously avoiding public or private indications that he'll support Trump's nominees, three people familiar with the matter tell Axios.
  • Voting against Gabbard would resume hostilities between McConnell and Trump. It could have implications for big policy questions down the line, from funding Ukraine to raising tariffs.

πŸ“£ McConnell said on the Senate floor on Thursday that he'll support nominees to "senior national security roles whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities, in the pursuit of peace through strength."

  • When asked specifically about Gabbard, McConnell told CNN's Manu Raju he was not ready to announce whether he can back her.

Zoom in: Gabbard is focused on winning over members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, where the GOP has a 9-8 voting advantage.

  • Two key GOP swing votes sit on the Intel committee: Sens. Susan Collins (R-Me.), a former SSCI chair, and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
  • Gabbard has met with every Republican and five of the eight Democrats, including Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the ranking Democrat. She has reached out to all of them.
  • Majority Leader John Thune can still bring Gabbard's nomination to a full floor vote even if she doesn't have the support to be recommended by the committee β€” but it would not be a great sign for her chances.

Between the lines: Most of Trump's nominees are pocketing hard "yeses" from senators, as they meet privately or appear before their committees.

  • Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, whose nomination as secretary of Defense appeared doomed in early December, appears to be a glide path to confirmation, barring any new revelations about his personal life.

The bottom line: If Democrats have any chance β€” and it's slim β€” at helping drag down a Trump nominee, they see Gabbard as the most likely prospect.

  • Minority Leader Chuck Schumer views the party's grilling of Hegseth as a success.
  • He'll demand the same for their treatment of Gabbard, HHS nominee RFK Jr. and FBI director nominee Kash Patel.

Senate GOP plots to erase Biden's final moves

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has a "fairly lengthy list" of last-minute Biden regulations that Republicans may try to undo in the coming weeks, he told Axios.

Why it matters: The Congressional Review Act (CRA) gives Congress until mid-May to reverse what Republicans are calling the "midnight rules" of the Biden administration.


  • Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will kick things off next week by introducing three resolutions to erase Biden moves on crypto, energy and internet access.
  • "We are scrubbing right now to determine what is eligible," Thune said at an event at the American Petroleum Institute earlier on Tuesday.

How it works: CRA resolutions have to pass with majority votes in both chambers of Congress.

  • Those votes can only happen 15 legislative days into a new Congress β€” the power won't be available until late January or early February.
  • The window for action closes 60 sessions into the new Congress.

Flashback: In early 2017, Trump and congressional Republicans used CRA resolutions to erase 16 Obama administration rules.

  • In 2021, Biden and congressional Democrats returned the favor and repealed three Trump rules.

What they're saying: Cruz, who chairs the Commerce committee, told Axios that he is confident that his three resolutions will pass. He expects the process to move "expeditiously" after he files next week.

  • One resolution would rescind a December regulation by the Energy Department that regulated gas water heaters.
  • Another would undo an IRS rule β€” finalized last month β€” that has sparked outrage in crypto circles. The rule requires more reporting on income earned in cryptocurrencies. Sens. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) β€” who chairs the new crypto subcommitteeβ€” Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) are cosponsors.
  • Cruz's final target is a FCC regulation that allow schools and libraries to lend Wifi hotspots to students through the E-Rate program. Cruz argued it violates the Communications Act, increases taxes and "opens up children to real risks of abuse" with no limits on their broadband usage.

What to watch: The law doesn't give a new Congress blanket authority to undo all of the previous administration's final rules and regulations.

  • But Thune's team is trying to convince the Senate parliamentarian how they can use the CRA to undo California's tailpipe standard, which would require 100% of new cars sold by 2035 to be zero emission.
  • "We are looking for lots of opportunities in that space and trying to argue with the parliamentarian," Thune said at the API event. "The whole California waiver issue … was such a radical regulatory overreach."

Trump team uses skip-the-Senate playbook for Pete Hegseth

The Trump transition proved today that it can impose its will on the Hill, even with a nomination that looked cooked before the holidays.

Why it matters: Not a single Republican showed signs on Tuesday of opposing Defense nominee Pete Hegseth. Now he's got a clear path to the Pentagon.


  • "Pete Hegseth hit a home run," Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said on Fox News after the hearing.
  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Tuesday that Hegseth did well and expects he'll be quickly confirmed.

Here's the formula:

  • Survive the first two weeks: Trump's team got past the news cycles about Senate Republicans being quietly concerned about Hegseth's nomination. They've told us for a month that if he can get to his nomination hearing, he'll be fine.
  • Sic MAGA foot soldiers on anyone suspected of falling out of line. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) was noticeably friendly at today's hearing. Ernst told local radio on Wednesday that she'll vote to confirm Hegseth.
  • Stonewall the Dems: Only the committee's top Democrat β€” Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) β€” was allowed to see Hegseth's background check. Democrats were denied second rounds of questioning today. Hegseth didn't meet with any of the rank-and-file Dems ahead of today's hearing.
  • Take advantage of the media's shattered glass: Today's most TV-ready moments from Senate Dems β€” Tim Kaine's hypotheticals on Hegseth's red lines and his behavior … Kirsten Gillibrand's condemnation of his comments on women in the military … Mazie Hirono's questions on his drinking β€” are unlikely to reach MAGA viewers.

Zoom in: If you look past the spicy back-and-forth on Hegseth's character, there was a strong line of questions about whether he can do the job.

  • The most prominent: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) tried to pin down Hegseth on whether he's ever led a major negotiation. She asked if he's familiar with high-level pacts like ASEAN.

The Republicans on the panel were very clear that this isn't a dealbreaker. They even suggested that his lack of traditional experience running bureaucracies would benefit someone trying to clean house at the Pentagon.

  • They backed him as he suggested he'd purge top brass and cut hundreds or thousands of civilian support staff in the Pentagon.
  • "The Dems struggled to land a blow or a gotcha moment," Banks told Axios after the hearing.
  • "With today's performance, I believe Pete Hegseth's path to confirmation has been assured," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement.

Go deeper:

Majority Leader John Thune picks four senators to form his kitchen cabinet

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is forming his kitchen cabinet β€” an inner circle of advisers outside of elected leadership, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: A new leader means new alliances and new voices with influence.


Zoom in: Thune is naming four senators as his counselors, a Senate GOP leadership aide tells Axios.

  • Steve Daines (R-Mont.), who helped give Thune his majority as NRSC chair last cycle.
  • MarkWayne Mullin (R-Okla.), a Trump ally and vocal supporter of Thune's leadership bid from the start.
  • John Cornyn (R-Tex.), who ran against Thune for leader and was also a part of McConnell's leadership circle.
  • Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who was praised for leading the effort to rewrite the RNC platform last year β€” in a Trump-like style.

Zoom out: The unofficial advisory board is invited to join the elected Senate GOP leadership team in regular Monday leadership meetings in Thune's office.

  • Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)
  • GOP conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
  • Policy Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.)
  • Vice Chair of policy James Lankford (R-Okla.)
  • NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.)

Trump aide Stephen Miller asserts his power on Capitol Hill

Stephen Miller, President-elect Trump's deputy chief of staff, is asserting himself as the key player in the White House's plan to pass Trump's sweeping agenda through Congress.   Why it matters: Trump trusts Miller implicitly, as does incoming Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, with whom Miller worked hand-in-glove on the campaign.


  • Miller has become instrumental as Senate GOP leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) haggle over how to pass MAGA priorities, fast.
  • Miller also gets Congress: While he initially called for a two-bill approach to immigration and tax reform, he has not publicly voiced his preference since Trump indicated he wants one "big beautiful bill."
  • But Miller's allies inside Trumpland, not to mention senators and lawmakers, know that his top priority is immigration.

Zoom in: In a sign of the kind of power he wields, Miller presented alongside Trump during Wednesday's meeting with senators.

  • Miller used the opportunity to provide a detailed plan of attack for Trump's first 100 executive orders, as Axios scooped.
  • "Senators know that he's not just speaking faithfully to what the Trump Team wants, but he's offering counsel on how to enact the policies that we care about," said Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton.

Also in the meeting were Wiles, incoming deputy chief of staff James Blair and James Braid, Trump's incoming director of the Office of Legislative Affairs.

  • While Miller talks policy, Braid β€” who previously served as Vice President-elect Vance's deputy staff chief in the Senate β€” and Blair will be taking over the process of getting the legislation passed.

Between the lines: Miller is one of the few Trump II officials who served in Trump I, and he served all four years, which was a rarity.

  • He has frontline experience in the Senate, where he served as a top adviser to former Sen. Jeff Sessions.
  • "It seems very clear that if you want to get a piece of legislation done, you got to work with Stephen Miller," a top adviser to a GOP senator told Axios.

What we're hearing:  Miller's allies β€” and even his enemies on the left β€” say that he derives much of his power from his deep understanding of immigration and the border.

  • "No one knows more than Stephen on this," one Trump adviser told Axios.
  • "Stephen is the Swiss Army knife for Trump: He does the policy, the politics and the media," a Trump insider told Axios.
  • Miller is previewing his tactical plans to stem illegal immigration: "We are going to use the Defense Department to secure the border of our country," he told Newsmax.
  • Miller did not respond to a request for comment.

Insiders say Miller, 39, has improved his bedside manner from Trump's first term, when he rubbed some staffers and Hill leaders the wrong way.

  • "In the past, he would just bull rush to get his way and he didn't care what enemies he made," said a third Trump adviser.
  • "Now he works the sh--t out of everybody. ... Yeah, he has the ear of the president, but now he gets allies so that he can just have surround sound."

The intrigue: Senators frequently discuss what they have heard from Miller on reconciliation strategy β€” more than any other Trump team member, a senior Hill aide told Axios.

  • Miller is also discussing Trump's tax and foreign policy with lawmakers.

Zoom out: With inauguration 10 days away, House and Senate Republicans are locked in a staring contest over a tactical question that has consumed Congress: one or two bills.

  • Trump seems content to let them fight it out. The House and Senate are basically pursuing two parallel tracks, racing for a finish line neither side can define.

The bottom line: Miller is seen by many as not just Trump's man on the Hill, but one of the most influential figures in Washington.

  • "Stephen right now looks like he'll be the most powerful unelected man in the White House," said another Trump adviser, who added that "Susie Wiles is the most powerful Trump appointee, and Stephen knows that and she's happy to let him do his thing."

Scoop: Trump previews 100 executive orders, including immigration crackdown

President-elect Trump and top advisers previewed ambitious plans for 100 executive orders during a meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday night, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: While Congress debates the next moves on their own aggressive legislative plans, Trump let them know he is ready to roll β€” especially on immigration.


  • Senators were given previews of some of what they were told would be 100 executive orders, two sources who were in the room told Axios.
  • Stephen Miller, Trump's longtime immigration adviser, dove into how they intend to use executive power to address the border and immigration starting Day 1.
  • It's unclear if all will be technical executive orders, or more broadly executive actions taken by Trump or federal agencies.

One big border plan: Reinstating Title 42, according to multiple sources.

  • The pandemic-era public health policy cites concerns about spreading illness to allow for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border β€” preventing them from even a shot at asylum.
  • There were millions of Title 42 expulsions from early in the COVID pandemic until President Biden ended the policy in 2023.

Other executive actions and plans that Miller outlined included:

  • More aggressively using a part of the Immigration and Nationality Act β€” 287(g) β€” which allows some state and local law enforcement to assist in some of the duties of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
  • Building the border wall, constructing soft-sided facilities to hold migrants and implementing other asylum restrictions.

Inside Trump's closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans

President-elect Trump is leaving the rest of his GOP trifecta hanging on their reconciliation stalemate.

Why it matters: Republican leaders on both sides of the Capitol have no interest in going against Trump. He has the power to quickly end this debate, but that's no closer after Wednesday's meeting with the Senate GOP.


  • Trump pitched the idea of a single "beautiful bill," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told reporters after the meeting. That's where the momentum is headed, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said.
  • "[H]e heard from us that and from our leader that a two-bill strategy is very much still very interested in," Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told reporters.

But Trump keeps making it clear: He really doesn't care about the process.

  • That apparent indifference on this key question will force the House and Senate to attempt to resolve their differences among themselves.

Inside the room: Trump went over some of his early executive order plans, two sources in the room told Axios.

  • Stephen Miller walked through the Day 1 immigration orders in detail, three sources told Axios. On his list is reimplementing Title 42, the pandemic-era rule that allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the border.
  • About a dozen senators spoke during the meeting, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) giving the most passionate defense of the two-bill strategy, two sources told Axios.
  • Trump invited the senators and their spouses to Mar-a-Lago, but didn't name a date, two sources told us. Axios scooped his plans for a Senate bash last night.

The bottom line: If the one bill versus two question is hard, agreeing to a topline number should be a real treat.

P.S. Top Trump campaign staffer Alex Latcham will be executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, with former Sen. Cory Gardner serving as CEO and chairman of the board, Axios scooped on Wednesday.

Scoop: Senate Dems delay Tulsi Gabbard nomination

Senate Democrats are forcing a delay in Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation hearing next week, claiming she hasn't provided required vetting materials β€” while Republicans accuse them of playing games, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: It's the first taste of what's expected to be a drama-filled few weeks as the Senate takes up some of President-elect Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks.


  • Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is balking at GOP requests to hold a hearing for Gabbard early next week, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations.
  • Gabbard, a former member of the House, is Trump's pick for national intelligence director.
  • Warner has pointed out that the committee has not yet received Gabbard's FBI background check, ethics disclosure or a pre-hearing questionnaire, a source familiar with the matter told us. Committee rules require the background check a week in advance of a hearing.

The other side: Gabbard completed the background check process last week, according to a source working with the nominee. Her active security clearance also means the process will be expedited.

  • Gabbard submitted an initial pre-hearing questionnaire and intends to submit a second on time and was given a Thursday deadline, the source said.
  • Another source familiar said the ethics disclosures have been delayed for multiple nominees due to the snow and other logistics but are expected to come through soon.

Between the lines: Either way, without the materials or sign off from Democrats, the hearing for one of Trump's most vital national security officials could be pushed to late next week β€” if not the week following.

  • Intel Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) "intends to hold these hearings before Inauguration Day," a spokesperson told Axios. "The Intelligence Committee, the nominees, and the transition are diligently working toward that goal."
  • "After the terrorist attacks on New Year's Eve and New Years Day, it's sad to see Sen. Warner and Democrats playing politics with Americans' safety and our national security," Trump transition spokesperson Alexa Henning told Axios in a statement, adding the nominee is willing to meet with every committee member.

The details: Committee rules hold that a confirmation hearing cannot be held until seven days after the panel receives "background questionnaire, financial disclosure statement, and responses to additional pre-hearing questions."

  • That gives the Gabbard and the transition team just a couple days if the committee wants to easily set up a hearing for next week.
  • Cotton could bypass that rule with a majority vote of the panel. But it would be a rare step for a committee that has long prided itself on bipartisanship.

The big picture: Gabbard is still making the rounds with Senate Democrats before the hearing and is scheduled to meet with Warner today.

  • Gabbard will also meet with Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Az.) and Angus King (I-Maine) later this week, per a source. She has already met with Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) β€” all members of the intelligence panel.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to note Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is a Republican (not a Democrat).

Congress launches early immigration crackdown ahead of Trump inauguration

Hill leaders are setting up the first votes of the 119th Congress this week β€” on a bill at the center of a heated political debate over illegal immigration.

Why it matters: The expected votes in both chambers on the Laken Riley Act make clear Republicans plan to keep hitting the border issue β€” putting pressure on vulnerable Democrats trying to find their post-election footing.


Driving the news: The House will vote Tuesday on the bill, which requires the detention of undocumented immigrants who commit certain nonviolent crimes such as theft, according to a House leadership aide.

  • Senate Majority Leader John Thune began the process to allow a vote on the Senate version of the bill β€” likely on Friday, a senior Senate GOP aide confirmed.
  • The bill is named after a nursing student who was murdered last year by an undocumented immigrant who had previously been arrested on theft charges.

What they're saying: "I am thrilled that we're going to get moving," Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told us about the bill, which she introduced in the Senate last year.

  • Britt anticipates the bill will get Democratic votes "if they're being honest about what we need to do to protect Americans."

What to watch: The bill already passed the House in 2024 with bipartisan support. It will need to pass the House again as it's a new Congress.

  • Expect the bill to pick up Democrats in the Senate β€” though it's not clear it will be enough to overcome the 60-vote filibuster.
  • Two House Democrats who voted in favor of the bill last year are now in the Senate β€” Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).

At least one other Trump-state Democrat is expected to vote in favor, according to a source familiar.

  • Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) β€” Riley's home state senator β€” is up for reelection in 2026. Ossoff told us he would "carefully consider any legislation that comes to the floor of the Senate."

The bottom line: The Democratic support highlights the new reality for the party, which is still reeling from their 2024 losses.

  • Democrats have been forced to move right on the immigration issue in particular, and are already signaling their willingness to work across the aisle on measures to secure the border.

Trump meeting with Senate Republicans on mega-MAGA moonshot

President-elect Trump is set to visit Senate Republicans on Wednesday β€” after publicly siding with House Speaker Mike Johnson over how to pass major policy wins.

Why it matters: The new GOP trifecta needs to get on the same page before the much harder decisions come due.


  • Some Senate Republicans want to convince Trump that it's in his interest to divide his "one big, beautiful bill" into two separate packages.
  • Trump has backed one strategy and then the other β€” he just wants to get it all done. In a Hugh Hewitt interview on Monday, Trump indicated he would be fine with two bills too.

Between the lines: Wednesday's Senate GOP invite is a standing offer, we're told.

  • Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) will host Trump at the upcoming meeting as policy chair and has made it clear he's welcome whenever he wants to come, according to a source familiar.
  • Trump is expected to join the Senate GOP at its 6pm ET meeting. He'll be in town for the late President Jimmy Carter's funeral.

Zoom out: Some Republicans are agnostic on whether they should cram all their priorities into one massive package or move first on a border and deportation bill and then turn to tax legislation.

  • Many are privately concerned that attempting to fit everything into one bill will condemn it to failure.

Zoom in: Johnson, fresh off his squeaker of a speaker's victory, knows math isn't his friend when he's looking for 218 votes.

  • He is convinced he needs to wrap all of Trump's priorities β€” from ending taxes on tips to increasing border funding β€” into one massive bill and then convince his colleagues to all hold hands together, listen to Trump … and jump.
  • Trump will host a series of House Republicans at Mar-a-Lago later this week, including members of the Freedom Caucus, people pushing to restore the SALT deduction and various committee chairs.

What they're saying: Two of Trump's most frequent phone buddies β€” Sens. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) β€” said nothing's set in stone.

  • "If we can get both of them done in one package, great, if we got to split them up, great," Mullin said. "All I'm saying is that I know that his Senate can deliver.
  • "I had multiple conversations with the president. He just wants it. He just wants the legislation to become permanent."
  • "Whatever they think they can do over there [in the House] is what we need to do," Tuberville told us. "I think it could still go either way."

The bottom line: Senate GOP leader John Thune tried to downplay the differing ideas, telling Punchbowl News the split over strategy is less important than the substance of what gets passed.

  • But Trump and his Hill leaders have been clear they intend to move fast. A divide over mechanics could slow things down.
  • The historically slim margins in the House could mean that Thune defers to Johnson based on what can pass the chamber.

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