Cruz, Klobuchar share a laugh over voting on Trump’s nominees

Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) shared a laugh Tuesday over voting for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

Cruz and Klobuchar, the bipartisan sponsors of a new artificial intelligence bill, joined CNBC, where they joked about their upcoming duty to confirm the president-elect’s nominees.

“Amy told me she’s voting for all of Trump’s nominees,” Cruz said jokingly.

Klobuchar interjected, noting that in 2017, she voted to confirm half of Trump's nominees.

“The last time I voted for half his nominees on the Cabinet because I carefully reviewed each one and made decisions,” she said.

“I just don’t think you should give a president a blank slate power, when, in fact, we are supposed to have advise and consent and the oath we take ourselves to protect the Constitution,” Klobuchar continued.

Klobuchar, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, previously said she expects to meet with some of Trump’s nominee’s ahead of their confirmation hearings, including his second choice for attorney general, Pam Bondi.

In an interview earlier this month, Klobuchar said she wasn’t singling Bondi out, but her job as a senator in this process is to “look at the FBI background check and to ask some questions to make sure they’re fulfilling the mission of the department."

Several of Trump’s nominees face an uphill battle before the Senate.

Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, faces questions about her international knowledge capabilities and relationship with foreign governments. The president-elect’s choice for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has faced sexual assault allegations and criticisms of alcohol abuse.

With several controversial picks set to appear before the Senate for the confirmation process, some Republican lawmakers are feeling the pressure from Trump to vote his choices in.

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