It may not be Trump’s intention, but as the Trump Cabinet takes shape, Putin is no doubt smiling, Putin’s propagandists are laughing (the hosts of the main Kremlin-run TV news show gleefully welcomed Trump’s nominees as “ totally wonderful “), and much of the rest of the world—those who rely on the United States—sigh and tremble.

POLITICO reporters have been talking with GOP lawmakers for weeks about Trump’s incoming nominees in an attempt to parse out who will or won’t get confirmed. And there’s a definite line between those who are on a solid path to confirmation and those with work left to do.

The MAGA pressure campaign is reportedly in full force against GOP senators who might oppose Donald Trump's controversial Cabinet picks.

A pressure campaign from allies of Donald Trump toward Senate skeptics of some of his Cabinet picks appears to be starting to pay off

The Cabinet confirmation drama around Donald Trump’s most provocative picks isn’t only about Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard or Robert F. Kennedy Jr.