Senate Finally Passes It with 53 -46 Vote - Chuck Schumer and Dems LOSE
Washington, D.C. - May 17, 2026
Senate Confirms John Phelan as Secretary of the Navy in 62-30 Vote, Advancing Trump’s Defense Priorities
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed John Phelan as the next Secretary of the Navy in a 62-30 vote, marking another significant victory for President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the Department of Defense. The confirmation advances Trump’s plan to install Phelan as the civilian leader of the Navy and Marine Corps.
Phelan, the founder of Rugger Management LLC, a Florida-based private investment firm, and a major donor to Trump’s campaign, secured bipartisan support despite having no prior military experience. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Phelan argued that his private-sector background uniquely positions him to address the Navy’s persistent challenges, including failed audits, workforce issues, cost overruns, and delays in shipbuilding.
“The U.S. Navy is at a crossroads,” Phelan told the committee. “Extended deployments, inadequate maintenance, huge cost overruns, delayed shipbuilding, failed audits, subpar housing, and sadly, record high suicide rates are systemic failures that have gone unaddressed for far too long, and frankly, this is unacceptable.”
Phelan emphasized that the Trump administration’s top priority for the Department of the Navy is shipbuilding, which is years behind schedule and experiencing major cost overruns, especially for submarines and large capital warships like aircraft carriers. “I don’t think I could say shipbuilding enough times,” he said when asked about the president’s priorities.
He committed to reviewing the Navy’s current contracts and ensuring a clean audit for the Department of the Navy. “I intend to sit down day one, and we are going to go through every contract that we have and understand what exactly they say and what flexibility they do or do not give us,” Phelan stated. He also pledged to address the Constellation-class frigate program, describing it as “a mess from what it looks like” and vowing to evaluate its problems quickly.
Phelan acknowledged concerns about his lack of military service, saying he respects that perspective but believes the Navy already possesses extraordinary operational expertise within its ranks. “My role is to utilize that expertise and strengthen it to step outside the status quo and take decisive action with a results-oriented approach,” he said.
The position fills the seat previously held temporarily by Stephen Miran, a Trump aide who took a leave from the White House Council of Economic Advisers to serve on the Fed after an early resignation created the vacancy. Miran’s term officially expired in January but he remained on the board until a replacement was confirmed.
Warsh’s term as a Fed governor will run until 2040. He will serve alongside two governors nominated during Trump’s first term and three nominated by former President Joe Biden. Trump’s attempts to remove one Biden appointee have so far been blocked by courts.
Powell has not indicated how long he plans to remain on the Fed board after his chair term ends. His governor term runs until January 2028. He has pledged to maintain a low profile in the coming months.
The vote reflects Republican unity on the nomination, with all Republicans supporting Warsh. Several Democrats opposed the confirmation. The move is part of Trump’s broader effort to align the Federal Reserve more closely with its economic priorities while maintaining the institution’s formal independence.
Warsh graduated from Stanford University and Harvard Law School. After leaving the Fed in 2011, he worked as a Hoover Institution fellow and as an adviser to billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller. He is married to Jane Lauder, granddaughter of Estée Lauder, and has significant personal wealth.
The confirmation comes as the Fed has held interest rates steady in recent meetings. Miran, who dissented on several rate decisions, had pushed for larger cuts.
The Senate still needs to vote separately to confirm Warsh as chair of the Board of Governors. That vote is expected later this week.
The development underscores the priority the Trump administration places on aligning the Federal Reserve more closely with its economic priorities while maintaining the institution’s formal independence. Analysts expect Warsh’s leadership, if confirmed as chair, to focus on balancing inflation control with economic growth.
Hakeem Jeffries Panics - He Just Lost A WAVE of House Seats Intensifies
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a sharp public rebuke against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following the governor's announcement of a special legislative session to redraw Florida’s congressional district boundaries, a strategic move expected to yield four additional seats for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives.
Governor DeSantis defended the mid-decade redistricting initiative by asserting that Florida was shortchanged in the 2020 Census relative to its explosive population growth over recent years. DeSantis emphasized that registered Republicans now hold a 1.5 million voter advantage across the Sunshine State, arguing that the existing district boundaries rely on unconstitutional racial classifications rather than geographic and demographic reality.
"The new map will more fairly reflect Florida’s current population makeup and fulfill our commitment to mid-decade adjustments."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated during his official announcement of the special session.
Representative Jeffries quickly pushed back against the plan, characterizing the proposed congressional map as a partisan overreach that could ultimately backfire on state Republicans during upcoming election cycles.
"It is a 'DeSantis Dummymander'. Florida Republicans pursuing this redistricting will end up in the exact same situation as Texas Republicans, whom I describe as being on the run. They are dummymandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared in response to the governor's redistricting strategy.
In a swift counter-response, Governor DeSantis dismissed the minority leader's warnings, inviting the New York Democrat to travel to Florida to campaign personally against the proposed boundary adjustments.
"I invite Leader Jeffries to campaign in Florida. I would be happy to host him at the governor’s mansion and take him fishing. Having Jeffries campaign across the state will only benefit Republicans because Florida voters will soundly reject the ideology being presented."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated during a subsequent media press conference.
The redistricting battle in Florida unfolds amidst a broader national struggle for control of the House of Representatives, where state-level map adjustments across the country could determine the congressional majority. The Supreme Court of the United States recently lifted a lower court injunction that had temporarily blocked a new congressional map in Texas, a decision that could potentially add five Republican seats to the lower chamber.
Conversely, California’s pending redistricting plans are projected to yield five additional seats for Democrats, while Virginia’s congressional map remains subject to ongoing legal challenges before the state Supreme Court over constitutional boundary concerns. As both major political parties adjust their national strategies, mid-decade redistricting initiatives in key states continue to reshape the legislative landscape ahead of the upcoming congressional elections.
