New administration Demand for Senate to speed up appointments

Donald Trump has demanded that the three frontrunners to lead the Senate allow him to appoint officials to his new administration without confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, as a future Republican government began to take shape.

- Robert Tait

In a demonstration of his political muscle, Trump urged support for "recess appointments", which allow the president to make appointments while the Senate is temporarily paused, and can be used to circumvent the confirmation process, which can result in appointments being delayed or blocked.

The demand amounted to a full-frontal intervention in tomorrow's Republican election for a new Senate leader to replace Mitch McConnell, the party's longtime leader who is retiring. The three men tipped to lead the Senate - Rick Scott, John Thune and John Cornyn - all quickly agreed to Trump's request.

The demand also signaled Trump's determination to press ahead with his agenda without being encumbered by congressional oversight, as is mandated by the US constitution.

Trump has already given out several senior positions in his new administration. CNN reported yesterday that Stephen Miller, a senior adviser in his first administration and a hardliner on immigration, was in line to become White House deputy chief of staff for policy.