Senate GOP Moves With ‘Record Speed’ To Confirm Trump’s 17th Cabinet Nominee

The Senate voted to confirm Wall Street investor Howard Lutnick as President Donald Trump’s Commerce Secretary along party lines Tuesday evening.

Senators voted 51 to 45 with Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Gary Peters of Michigan and Republican Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Dan Sullivan of Alaska not voting.

Lutnick becomes Trump’s 17th cabinet nominee to win confirmation. Senate Republicans’ quick confirmation of Trump’s cabinet nominees far outpaces the confirmation schedules of the three prior administrations.

While the Senate GOP secured the confirmation of Trump’s 17th cabinet nominee in 30 days, the Democratic-controlled Senate took nearly 60 days to confirm former President Joe Biden’s 17th cabinet nominee in 2021, according to a senior GOP aide.

“Under Leader [John] Thune and Whip [John] Barrasso, the Senate is moving at record speed to get the President’s Cabinet in place,” Kate Cooksey Noyes, communications director for Barrasso, said Tuesday.

An update on Senate procedure—

~5:30pm ET, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to executive session for @Kash_Patel. Then we’ll file cloture to put him on the clock. Procedure aside — he’s set to be confirmed by Thursday.

Let’s get it DONE!@howardlutnick is next. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wuAghyXaL5

— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) February 18, 2025

Lutnick secured the support of every GOP senator, who praised his moving personal story about rebuilding his investment firm in the aftermath of 9/11 and his commitment to fighting for American industries as commerce secretary.

“I’m pleased that Mr. Lutnick will be bringing a ‘get it done’ approach to the Department of Commerce,” Thune said on the Senate floor Tuesday prior to Lutnick’s confirmation vote. “I am confident that he will work every day to help American commerce thrive so that the American people can thrive.”

As Commerce secretary, Lutnick will play an influential role in crafting the Trump administration’s trade policy. The president announced 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from all U.S. trade partners on Feb. 11. Trump floated so-called reciprocal tariffs on American trading partners last Thursday.

Lutnick vowed to work with Trump to spur economic growth during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee on Jan. 29.

“I saw the strength of the American spirit during President Trump’s campaign, and it fueled my desire to serve our nation,” Lutnick told senators. “We need healthy businesses – small, medium, and large – to hire our great American workers to drive our economy. I will dedicate myself to making our government more responsive, working to ensure Americans have the greatest opportunity for success.”

Lutnick cleared the Senate commerce panel during a vote of 16-12 on Feb. 5 with Democratic Sen. John Fetterman joining Republicans to vote “yes” on the commerce nominee.

Lutnick is the chairman and CEO of investor firm Cantor Fitzgerald. He famously rebuilt the firm after more than 650 of its employees, including his brother, were killed on 9/11, calling the firm’s comeback his “greatest business achievement.”

Lutnick also served as co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Leoffler who has been tapped to serve as the president’s Small Business Administration administrator.

The Senate also advanced former Trump official Kash Patel’s nomination to lead the FBI during a procedural vote along party lines Tuesday evening.

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