Senate Republicans Go Nuclear to Confirm Kimberly Guilfoyle and Dozens of Trump Nominees
In a decisive move to break years of obstruction, Senate Republicans on Friday invoked the “nuclear option” to swiftly confirm 48 of President Donald J. Trump’s nominees — including high-profile conservative Kimberly Guilfoyle, now confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Greece.
The vote marked a turning point in the Senate’s handling of presidential appointments, bypassing the endless delays engineered by Democrats who refused to move even non-controversial nominees forward.
Breaking the Gridlock
According to The Hill, the GOP majority approved a new procedure on Sept. 11, allowing groups of nominees to be voted on en masse. Not a single Democrat supported the rule change, which eliminated the painstaking process of unanimous consent for each individual.
The tactic was necessary, Republican leaders argued, because Democrats weaponized Senate procedure to block President Trump’s team from taking their posts. During President Trump’s first term, and even under Joe Biden’s presidency, more than half of nominees were approved by unanimous consent or voice vote. Under Presidents Obama and George W. Bush, those numbers soared closer to 90 percent.
But with Trump’s second term well underway, Democrats escalated their delay game. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) made clear his frustration:
“If the Senate had continued at the pace that we’ve been proceeding at through the month of July there would still be hundreds of empty desks in the executive branch on President Trump’s last day in office in 2029,” he said, according to Politico.
The Nuclear Option in Context
The term “nuclear option” refers to bypassing the traditional 60-vote threshold and changing Senate rules with a simple majority. Democrats first triggered it in 2013 under then-Majority Leader Harry Reid to push through lower-court judges during Barack Obama’s presidency. Republicans extended the precedent in 2017, under Mitch McConnell, to secure Supreme Court confirmations — paving the way for the Court’s current 6-3 constitutional majority.
This new procedural change applies only to most executive branch nominees, not Cabinet secretaries or judges, who still require individual votes.
Guilfoyle Steps Onto the World Stage
Kimberly Guilfoyle, once a Fox News personality and longtime conservative firebrand, was the standout name among Friday’s confirmations. She becomes the first female U.S. ambassador to Greece, a post she embraced with gratitude:
“I am profoundly grateful to President Donald J. Trump and the United States Senate for their trust and confidence in me,” she said in a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Greece.
“It is the honor of my life to serve as the first female ambassador of the United States to the Hellenic Republic. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, liberty, and the rule of law — the very ideals that inspired our American Founders and continue to make America the greatest nation on Earth.”
Though Guilfoyle’s heritage is Irish and Puerto Rican, her appointment underscores President Trump’s emphasis on merit and loyalty rather than box-checking identity politics.
Guilfoyle, once married to current California Gov. Gavin Newsom before his far-left rise, has long been a staunch advocate for conservative causes. Her trajectory — from legal work in San Francisco to Fox News stardom, and now to representing America on the world stage — highlights a distinctly American story of grit, loyalty, and opportunity.
A Conservative Resurgence Abroad
Other prominent appointees include Calista Gingrich, wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, confirmed as ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Her appointment recalls the Gingrich legacy of the 1994 “Contract with America,” which reshaped Republican politics and brought accountability back to Washington.
With Friday’s vote, President Trump’s administration gains momentum, ensuring that critical diplomatic and executive posts are filled despite Democrat roadblocks. The GOP’s bold use of the nuclear option signals that Republicans will not allow Washington gridlock to undermine the President’s ability to govern.