GOP senators facing 2026 pressure to fall in line behind Trump Cabinet picks

Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota is the kind of Republican who has been willing to clash with Donald Trump in the past and could be seen as wavering on some of the president-elect’s more controversial choices for his Cabinet.

Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota is the kind of Republican who has been willing to clash with Donald Trump in the past and could be seen as wavering on some of the president-elect’s more controversial choices for his Cabinet. But facing reelection in two years in a conservative state, Rounds is the target of Trump allies trying to get him to fall in line on those picks. And so far, he seems to be doing just that. Rounds told CNN on Wednesday he doesn’t see himself opposing any of Trump’s selections, short of “a very serious issue.” The South Dakota Republican is meeting Thursday with Trump’s Pentagon pick, Pete Hegseth, who has faced allegations of heavy drinking and sexual misconduct but has been boosted by a significant pressure campaign from Trump’s allies. “It’s very, very seldom that a member of their own party of the president would vote against – it would be a very serious issue – so I don’t expect to see that in this process coming forward, but most certainly each member has that prerogative to make that decision themselves,” Rounds said. Rounds’ signal that he won’t be an impediment to Trump’s nominees comes after Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa faced a public and aggressive campaign from Trump’s allies after she expressed concerns about Hegseth. The effort, largely through social media, includes threatening to primary senators in upcoming elections and sending the MAGA base after those who even suggest they’re considering balking at any of his choices. In a chamber where lawmakers often pride themselves on their independence, Republican senators insist that they aren’t feeling the outside pressure. But the initial resistance to some of Trump’s controversial picks has dissipated, publicly at least. Most of Trump’s selections don’t currently appear in serious danger of losing GOP support, although many senators aren’t officially backing Trump’s picks ahead of formal nominations and confirmation hearings. Nominees can only afford to lose three Republican votes in the new Congress, assuming all Democrats vote against them.