Senate Democrats and White House Clash Over Bipartisan-Agency Vacancies

The White House has sent a response to the Senate Democrats asserting that they had not provided nominees to serve as potential commissioners at either the SEC or the CFTC.

In a letter dated June 9, 2026, to President Donald Trump and Majority Leader John Thune, the Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Charles Schumer, asserted that the administration had refused to nominate and confirm Democratic members to agencies that Congress designed to be bipartisan. The Senate Democrats said the President had fired more than a dozen Democratic commissioners across agencies in 2025 and had left seats open at the SEC, the CFTC, and others, noting many of these agencies no longer have a single Democratic member. The Senate Democrats asked the President to reverse course, reinstate removed members, and work with the Minority Leader to fill Democratic seats.

The White House replied on July 9, 2026, in a letter from the offices of presidential personnel and legislative affairs. It said Senate Democrats had blocked civilian nominees by withholding unanimous consent. The White House said the Supreme Court's ruling in Trump v. Slaughter addressed much of the Democrats' complaint. The White House said the President had nominated Democrats to some posts, including the National Labor Relations Board, the International Trade Commission, and the Surface Transportation Board. The White House claims that it had asked Senate Democrats for Democratic names for the CFTC and the SEC before their letter and had received none.