As President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks face increasing opposition from Senate Republicans, Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is not handling it all that well, demanding her colleagues "say yes sir" to Trump's every whim.
With Trump recently having picked Matt Gaetz (who faces sex trafficking accusations) for attorney general, Tulsi Gabbard (who has ignited concerns due to her ties to Russia) for director of national intelligence, and Pete Hegseth (a Fox News host accused of sexual assault) for secretary of defense—to say nothing of others who've made headlines for similarly disturbing reasons—Senate Republicans are very much divided.
But this is unacceptable, according to Greene, who insisted they should give Trump's nominees the rubber stamp.
She said:
"We support Donald Trump and his agenda. That's it! They [the American people] didn't say, 'We support Republicans.' They said, 'We support Donald Trump and his agenda.'"
"Therefore, the mandate and the order from the American people is whoever he nominates and appoints, you better pass them through the Senate. That is your job. You say 'Yes, sir,' and you get it done. Whatever his agenda sets out to do, we find a way to do it and we do it as quickly as possible."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Greene was swiftly criticized.
Greene’s outburst follows reports that Trump’s transition team has yet to sign the required agreements with the White House or Justice Department, delaying FBI screening of his personnel choices. These checks are essential for obtaining security clearances and meeting Senate standards for nominations.
Without these agreements, the Senate could be asked to confirm Trump’s picks without the typical rigorous vetting process designed to identify personal issues, criminal histories, or other red flags—an omission that raises concerns given what is already known about some nominees.
At the heart of the issue is a memorandum of understanding, which enables an incoming president to request FBI background checks while the bureau flags any adverse findings to the White House. However, the Trump transition team has bypassed this protocol, relying on campaign aides, allied organizations, and external law firms for its vetting process.
For positions requiring security clearances, background checks would still be mandated. However, once Trump assumes office on January 20, 2025, he could circumvent standard protocols by directly granting security clearances, as he reportedly did for son-in-law Jared Kushner during his first term.
