UPDATE: Kash Patel has passed in a cloture vote by a margin of 48-45. Patel’s final confirmation vote could be as soon as Wednesday.
Howard Lutnick’s confirmation as Secreaty of Commerce has been passed by a vote of 45-51.
The full Senate will take two key confirmation votes at 5:30 pm ET to confirm Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary and to invoke cloture for a later vote on Kash Patel’s nomination as FBI Director.
Kash Patel’s vote is expected to be more contentious as the MAGA firebrand vies for the top position at the FBI, where he plans to root out corruption and the agency’s recent history of targeting innocent conservatives.
Kash Patel has been one of the leading voices against the Deep State’s weaponization of government, corruption, and conspiracies, including Russiagate, the Trump investigations, January 6, and more. He recounts all of it in his recent book,
As President Trump noted when he nominated Patel for the role of FBI head, “He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution.”
The far left is doing all it can to prevent Kash Patel from becoming FBI Chief. They know the truth is going to come out from the Comey and Wray years, and it terrifies them.
Here’s Shifty Adam Schiff (D-CA) railing and fearmongering against Patel’s nomination as FBI Director, noting that he’s “poised to be confirmed” and calling it a “terrible tragedy for the country’s preeminent law enforcement agency but also the American people”:
According to GOP sources, Patel is expected to have enough votes for confirmation today and later this week.
Senator Markwayne Mullen (R-OK) explained the process for today’s vote at 5:30 pm ET.
“We’ll confirm Howard Lutnick, and then we’ll proceed with a procedural motion to move to executive order… And then, we’ll put Kash Patel on the clock, which means we could vote on him really as early as tomorrow if the Democrats want to play nice with us, which I doubt they will. More than likely, we’ll be voting on him on Thursday morning,” Mullen said.
An update on Senate procedure—
~5:30pm ET, the Senate will vote on a motion to proceed to executive session for @Kash_Patel. Then we’ll file cloture to put him on the clock. Procedure aside — he’s set to be confirmed by Thursday.
Let’s get it DONE!@howardlutnick is next. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wuAghyXaL5
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) February 18, 2025
Lutnick’s vote is expected later after Patel’s vote.
The votes are expected at 5:30 pm ET.
Watch live below:
