Sen. Ron Johnson expresses confidence in Trump Cabinet confirmation prospects

With Donald Trump set to take the oath of office on Monday at noon, a new era of governance is set to begin, but until recently, it was uncertain whether some of his key Cabinet picks would ever assume their roles.

However, on Wednesday, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) weighed in on the situation and declared that “most, if not all,” of Trump's nominees will secure no fewer than 50 votes in the Senate confirmation process, as Breitbart reports.

Johnson expresses optimism

Though he was initially asked specifically about the prospects of confirmation for Pete Hegeseth, Trump's nominee to serve as Defense secretary, Johnson offered a broader statement of confidence about the incoming administration's key positions.

On the question of whether Hegseth could garner 50 votes in the Senate, Johnson replied, “Oh, yeah, I think most, if not all, Trump nominees will.”

Johnson went further, offering the reasoning behind his belief by saying, “The default position of Republican senators is this is a convincing election” and that, in the end, it is Trump an nobody else who should be deciding the composition of the Cabinet.

Referencing his colleagues in the Senate, Johnson stated, “Our role is to respect the results of the election and confirm that the people that President Trump wants to surround himself in his administration. He's ultimately responsible.”

One area in which Johnson, while still remaining bullish, suggested there may be a little work yet to do was the question of whether Robert Kennedy Jr. would pull sufficient votes to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, and while the senator acknowledged some lingering hesitation among some lawmakers, he said he believes the nominee can “easily” resolve their concerns.

Hegseth's triumph

When it comes to Hegseth, the path to confirmation recently got a great deal clearer, as Fox News reports, with the former cable news personality gaining support from a key senator who had previously remained undecided.

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy revealed on Friday that he is now in the “yes” column for Hegseth, who acquitted himself well during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee last week.

Cassidy declared, “The President's pick for Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth, has impressive academic qualifications, conducted himself very well in the Senate Armed Services hearing, and has a commendable record of service in uniform. He assured me he will surround himself with a strong support team. I will vote for his confirmation.”

That news came on the heels of Hegseth's successful work in alleviating concerns previously expressed by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who is also now a “yes” on his nomination.

If Johnson's prediction proves correct and most – if not all – of Trump's picks get the green light, the new administration will hopefully be able to hit the ground running very soon after inauguration festivities conclude.