Sen. John Fetterman may be warming up to President Donald Trump, but his support isn’t unconditional.
The Pennsylvania Democrat announced Thursday night that he would vote against Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination as director of national intelligence and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
“I have met with most of the cabinet nominees and have carefully watched their confirmation hearings,” Fetterman said in a post on X. “After considering what’s at stake, I have voted against moving forward to the confirmation of Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Kennedy, and will be voting NO on their confirmations.”
Both Trump picks were standing on thin ice until lawmakers voted to advance their nominations to the Senate floor on Tuesday.
Fetterman previously voted to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general, Scott Turner as housing secretary, and Howard Lutnick as commerce chief.
The Democratic senator has a testy history with Trump, calling out the president for casting doubt on election integrity in Pennsylvania in an expletive-laden rant last November.
It appears their ties are on the mend, though, after the two met in Mar-a-Lago last month. The president called Fetterman “a fascinating man” while the senator gushed over Trump’s “kind and cordial” reception.
Fetterman recently expressed support for Trump’s proposal to put American boots on the ground in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Senators became reluctant to advance Gabbard’s nomination as top spy chief during her confirmation hearing last week when she sidestepped questions on whether she considered whistleblower Edward Snowden a traitor to the U.S.
Gabbard later managed to sway Republican senators, with Sen. Todd Young saying she provided “commitments that will advance our national security.” The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 9-8 in favor of Gabbard.
Kennedy also faced a fierce grilling by senators at his confirmation hearing over his controversial views on vaccines and other public health issues.
Trump’s health secretary pick was saved at the last minute by Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who said he would vote favorably after having “intense conversations” with Kennedy. The Senate Finance Committee voted 14-13 to advance his nomination.
