The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a single vote — including former TV personality and fundraiser Kimberly Guilfoyle, now set to represent the U.S. in Greece.
The bulk confirmation — the first since Republicans changed Senate rules last week to speed up the process — also propelled Christine Toretti to Sweden, Callista Gingrich to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and former GOP Rep. Brandon Williams to the sensitive post of under secretary for nuclear security. Critics called the episode “governing by warehouse club,” while supporters praised the “efficiency.”
Republicans achieved the mass approvals by deploying their freshly minted “nuclear option” to allow en bloc consideration of executive branch civilian nominees. Democrats blasted the maneuver as a way to slip under-vetted loyalists into diplomatic posts; Republicans countered that Democrats had been slow-walking Trump’s picks and breaking with past precedent by refusing routine voice votes.
The result was a vote that felt less like a constitutional duty and more like a speed-run of government staffing. “We’re not sure whether to call it a Senate vote or a casting call for a new reality series,” one Democratic aide said.
Guilfoyle’s leap into diplomacy drew the most attention. Known for her stint on Fox News and for a viral speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention, she has little formal diplomatic experience but ample name recognition. “Greece is the birthplace of democracy,” quipped one foreign-policy watcher. “Now it’s hosting the birthplace of viral campaign memes.”
Republicans brushed off questions about qualifications. “We’re following the rules Democrats themselves created,” one GOP senator said, referring to the 2013 Democratic move to weaken the filibuster for nominees. But critics noted that, unlike previous procedural tweaks, Thursday’s maneuver jammed nearly four dozen nominees through with virtually no individual debate.
Callista Gingrich’s Swiss appointment also raised eyebrows. “Switzerland is known for neutrality,” another commentator deadpanned. “It’s unclear whether that applies to ambassadors married to partisan power brokers.”
The rule change does not affect cabinet officials or judicial nominees — the highest-profile posts still receive separate consideration — but it dramatically shortens the process for lower-level executive positions. In practice, that means ambassadors, deputies, and under secretaries can now be confirmed in political bulk, with minimal scrutiny.
Analysts warn the shift could erode the Senate’s traditional role as a check on executive power. “This is what you get when loyalty trumps expertise,” one think-tank fellow said. “Diplomatic posts become rewards for insiders rather than appointments based on competence.”
For now, though, Republicans are celebrating what they see as a victory for efficiency and meme-worthy ambassadors.
