GOP Senator Warns Trump Nominees Could Start Getting Voted Down — Even As White House Reportedly Threatens ‘Consequences’

Republicans are reportedly starting to run out of patience with President Donald Trump’s national security nominees — as several controversial choices are soon to face confirmation votes in the Senate.

According to NBC News, an unnamed Republican senator who has voted for all of Trump’s nominees thus far warned that he and his colleagues could vote down national security picks who “sound more like Tucker Carlson than a Republican.”

“We’ll only give so much,” the senator told NBC. “Because this is the future of the country. It’s not entertainment television.”

Newly-confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made it through only with the help of Vice President JD Vance — who was forced to break a 50-50 tie late Friday night, as three Republican Senators and all Democrats voted against Hegseth. Trump’s picks for FBI Director (Kash Patel) and Director of National Intelligence (Tulsi Gabbard) are among those who are thought to be in for a tough fight.

But the White House is warning of “consequences” for any Republican Senator who does not get on board with Trump’s nominees.

“It’s pass-fail. You either support everyone or you don’t,” an unnamed senior White House official told NBC. “The Senate needs to advise and consent, not advise and adjust.”

The anonymous official added, “There is a very well-funded consortium of outside groups and political actors that are sophisticated, smart and tough. We’ve already seen that they’ve provided air support and narrative support to some nominees. They’ll still be very well-funded when the nominations are over, and they’ll exact consequences, I’m sure, to those who do not support the president’s nominees and get them to the finish line.”

There is, however, a question of just what kind of consequences can be imposed on several notable Republicans — including those who voted against Hegseth. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is thought to be unlikely to seek re-election, while Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) represents a state which Trump lost by 7 points in the 2024 election, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has already defeated a MAGA challenger in 2022.