A few key Senate Republicans don't share President Donald Trump's enthusiasm for a Cabinet overhaul, given the chamber's jam-packed docket and the potential difficulties in getting them confirmed.
Trump's ouster of secretary of state Rex Tillerson adds two confirmation hearings to the Senate's agenda, and both of his nominations — Mike Pompeo and Gina Haspel — are already stirring pushback; Sen. Rand Paul has already said he will not support either of them.
"With everything else we have to do around here, having the prospect of two additional confirmation fights perhaps is going to be a challenge," Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, told CNN.
Trump has tabbed Pompeo to replace Tillerson and Haspel to succeed Pompeo as CIA director, but her oversight of an advanced interrogation program, vis-a-vis torture, promises a rocky confirmation.
Further, with Trump saying he's getting close to the Cabinet he wants, it's possible more exits are on the horizon. H.R. McMaster, David Shulkin, Ben Carson and embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions are all circulating the rumor mill.
"It would be very difficult to find a replacement. It's a tough time right now to confirm somebody in a job like that. I think Jeff is doing a good job," Sen. Lindsey Graham told CNN.
In fact, Senate Judiciary chairman Chuck Grassley warned Trump months ago not to fire Sessions, saying he'd have to wait a long time to get a confirmation hearing for any potential successor.
"I spoke on that a year ago and I don't have anything new to say," Grassley told CNN Wednesday. "And I don't want to say what I said six months ago holds today. But I would think it wouldn't be wise to fire Sessions."
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