The Senate confirmed on Friday Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense, retired Gen. James Mattis (98-1), and his pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, retired Gen. John Kelly (88-11).
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand cast the sole “no” vote against Mattis. She objected to installing a recently retired general to the Pentagon’s top civilian post, a departure from decades of precedent.
Retired Gen. John Kelly also got the go ahead vote, giving Trump his first two cabinet members. Neither encountered much unified resistance from Democrats during the confirmation process.
The Senate agreed to debate and vote on Trump’s CIA director nominee, Rep. Mike Pompeo, on Monday even though Mitch McConnell had implored Democrats to take the vote Friday. Two cabinet confirmations on Day One is apparently an historically low number.