Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is getting to enjoy his honeymoon phase for a little while longer. Anti-establishment conservatives who fought his rise to leader remain satisfied with Thune’s performance and are cautiously optimistic as President Donald Trump turns up the pressure to confirm his nominees and advance his second-term agenda.

Even as handicappers adjudged Pete Hegseth ’s confirmation as secretary of Defense to be all but certain, not one but two Republican senators indicated a hard pass on the poorly qualified bad boy from Fox News.

In the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski had openly challenged or rebuked him at least three times.

US Senate Majority Leader John Thune highlighted the critical importance of confirming Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defence and Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, citing their vital roles in national and border security,

President Donald Trump fired the inspectors general from more than a dozen federal agencies in a Friday night purge, according to a Trump administration official, paving the way for him to install his own picks overseeing the agencies.

By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and FARNOUSH AMIRI WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation’s defense secretary Friday in a dramatic late-night vote,

Read full article: Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty for David Knezevich, accused of killing wife in Spain Senate Majority Leader John Thune ... Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen.

Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins ... Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Hegseth, as a veteran of the Army National Guard who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, “will bring a warrior ...

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of ... Even though only two Republicans defected when Senate Majority Leader John Thune invoked cloture there could still be additional holdouts.

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth as the nation's defense secretary in a late-night vote after questions about his qualifications and actions.

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth.

The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth late Friday, swatting back questions about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon.