Skip to content
Project 2025
Search

Latest Stories

Follow Us:
Top Stories
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX)

Texas Republicans’ Effort To Make a Safe House Seat May Backfire

The Sleeping Giant Woke Up. Trump is Asleep.

The Sleeping Giant Woke Up. Trump is Asleep.

Children's books on a shelf.

Darius Williams Went Viral. Fixing the Literacy Crisis Won’t.

Dolly Parton performs on stage, holding a white, bedazzled guitar.

Dolly Parton and the America We Keep Forgetting We Can Be

Does it take six months on average for the Senate to confirm a president's nominees?

Two men sitting on a couch

Sen. Marco Rubio (left), President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be the next secretary of state, meets with Sen. Lindsey Graham on Dec. 3, in advance of Senate confirmation hearings.

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Tom Kertscher
By Tom KertscherDec 06, 2024
Tom Kertscher
Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch is a contributor for The Fulcrum, a nonpartisan publication dedicated to strengthening democracy by fostering informed civic engagement and elevating diverse perspectives.
See More Writings by author

This fact brief was originally published by Wisconsin Watch. Read the original here. Fact briefs are published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network, and republished by The Fulcrum. Visit Gigafact to learn more.

Does it take six months on average for the US Senate to confirm a president's nominees?

Yes.

The average time the U.S. Senate takes to approve nominees to a president’s administration is more than six months.

The nonprofit Center for Presidential Transition reported that as of Nov. 11, 2024, the average number of days has more than doubled under presidents elected since the 1980s:

Joe Biden: 192

Donald Trump: 160.5

Barack Obama: 153.3

George W. Bush: 108.2

Bill Clinton: 100.3

George H.W. Bush: 64.7

Ronald Reagan: 69.4

The nominees include more than 1,000 leadership positions, including Cabinet posts such as attorney general.

One reason for the six-month average: Any senator can “hold” a nominee’s confirmation, sometimes to extract something in return.

An August research paper concluded it is doubtful that reducing the number of positions needing confirmation would speed up confirmations.

Trump has said he wants the Senate to allow “recess appointments,” which wouldn’t require Senate confirmation, for his next administration.

The issue was raised Nov. 21 by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who called for streamlining confirmations.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one

Sources

Center for Presidential Transition: Senate Confirmations Slow to a Crawl

Bipartisan Policy Center: What’s the Hold Up on Senate Nominees?

University of Chicago Center for Effective Government: Democracy Reform Primer Series Reducing the Number of Senate-Confirmed Appointees

New York Times: Could Trump Install Gaetz Without Senate Approval? A Recess Appointment Primer

Cumulus News Talk: Donald Trump's Upcoming Confirmation Battles | The Vince Coglianese Show


Latest news

A gavel.
Democracy

Judicial Independence: The Cornerstone of America’s Democracy

THE POLITICS OF EXCLUSION: When Abuse of Power Pushes Communities Out of the American Story
Ethics & Leadership

THE POLITICS OF EXCLUSION: When Abuse of Power Pushes Communities Out of the American Story

Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid
Health

Senators Criticize Trump Administration’s Demands to Access Health Data as a Condition for Lifesaving Aid

Illustration of US Capitol
Governance & Legislation

Are States and Localities Required to Cooperate with ICE?

Read More

people in a boardroom


Happy female entrepreneur with colleagues sitting at a desk in an office

Getty images

Understanding The Dissolution of Federal DEI Offices and Initiatives: Debate and Implications

This nonpartisan policy brief, written by an ACE fellow, is republished by The Fulcrum as part of our partnership with the Alliance for Civic Engagement and our NextGen initiative — elevating student voices, strengthening civic education, and helping readers better understand democracy and public policy.

Background

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a buzzword often used in political spaces, and its implementations, or lack thereof, have repercussions on many groups. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts are organizational policies and initiatives that aim to equitably distribute opportunities and to create accepting workplaces for marginalized populations. These policies create hiring and recruitment guidelines to hire, retain, and promote individuals from those backgrounds. Supporters of these policies argue they are necessary in driving meaningful social progress, while critics argue they subordinate the role of merit in awarding opportunities.

Keep ReadingShow less
United States Capitol building
The United States Capitol building in Washington DC during the golden hour
Photo by Andy Feliciotti on Unsplash

Do Six Political Factions Cause Congressional Gridlock?

A recent congressional voting record report of our 535 delegates in D.C., published by the Institute of Legislative Analysis, found that significant voting behavior shifts have occurred within both major political parties over the past three years.

According to tracking from YouGov and Marquette Law School, roughly 28% to 35% of self-identified Republicans explicitly state they are not Trump- MAGA fans. Meanwhile, data published by the Pew Research Center shows that 67% of Democrats are frustrated with their political party.

Keep ReadingShow less
People waving US flags

Modern politics rewards viral outrage over thoughtful debate. Explore how introducing mindfulness, gratitude, and cross-party reflection can lower the temperature in Washington and rebuild governance.

LeoPatrizi/Getty Images

Zen and Governing in a Time of Politics as Performance Art

News reports and social media constantly remind us that today’s political system rewards conflict, viral moments, and ideological performance over thoughtful and courteous debate.

Tune into the melee, and it is as if every high-ranking official is now a TV political pundit rather than a serious statesman or stateswoman.

Keep ReadingShow less
Everyone is campaigning on ‘affordability’ that no one can deliver

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, left, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Trump congratulated Mamdani on his election win as the two political opponents met to discuss policies for New York City, including affordability, public safety, and immigration.

(Tribune Content Agency)

Everyone is campaigning on ‘affordability’ that no one can deliver

Remember “affordability” mania?

The time was 2025. A young, charismatic democratic socialist candidate for New York City mayor named Zohran Mamdani became a viral sensation. His secret? “Affordability.”

Keep ReadingShow less
© Copyright 2026