The Hill reported earlier this week that Senate Democrats have fought “pitched partisan battles” to stall the confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominees.
However, one of the president’s picks recently found himself being blocked by a rogue Republican lawmaker, who later reversed course
Fight over long-closed Alaska Navy facility
Raw Story reported on Thursday that Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan opposed the confirmation of Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle as chief of naval operations.
The website noted that Sullivan’s move had nothing to do with Sullivan personally but instead intended as a bargaining chip in his effort to reopen Alaska’s Adak Naval Air Station.
As Raw Story explained, Adak Naval Air Station was opened during the Second World War and later hosted nuclear bombers before being shut down in 1997.
Yet as Politico noted, Sullivan subsequently dropped his opposition to Caudle, allowing the admiral to be confirmed on Thursday evening.
Sullivan lifts hold
“Sen. Sullivan had a very constructive conversation with the secretary of Defense, with whom he has a strong relationship,” Sullivan spokesperson Amanda Coyne was quoted as saying in a statement. “After the conversation, Sen. Sullivan lifted his hold on Adm. Caudle.”
U.S. Naval Institute News reported that Trump’s nominee appeared on Capitol Hill last week, where he spoke with lawmakers during a Senate hearing.
Among the topics which Caudle covered were concerns over whether the United States has sufficient industrial capabilities to deliver submarines which have been ordered by Australia and the U.K.
“We do have to understand whether or not the industrial base can produce the submarines required so that we can make good on the actual pact that we made with the U.K. and Australia, which is around 2.2., 2.3 Virginia-class submarines per year,” he said.
“That’s going to require a transformational improvement, not a 10 percent improvement, not a 20 percent, a 100 percent improvement,” Caudle added.
Lee frustrated by slow pace of confirmations
Meanwhile, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee has voiced frustration over the slow pace at which Trump’s nominees are being confirmed.
Senate Republicans can stop Democrat obstruction of President Trump’s nominees by simply working through recess until they’ve had enough.
If Democrats win, it’s because we let them. https://t.co/8KDA0O6daT
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) July 31, 2025
“Senate Republicans can stop Democrat obstruction of President Trump’s nominees by simply working through recess until they’ve had enough. If Democrats win, it’s because we let them,” he declared.
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Author: Adam Peters
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