Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) predicted that President-elect Donald Trump would not have a very long honeymoon while in office.
Appearing on CNN, Blumenthal argued that Trump's threats to slap America's largest trading partners with massive tariffs should be taken very seriously and predicted it would cause immediate tension with his campaign promise to end inflation.
"I think he's heading toward a real horror show where the consequences can't be squared with the promises he's made," Blumenthal said.
He then pointed to Trump's decision to not only enact tariffs but also appoint X CEO Elon Musk to what he described as a "hit squad" that could target Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for cuts in order to fund more tax cuts for the wealthy.
"It is very hard to make those kinds of promises and fulfill them," he said. "Republicans will be held accountable. Not only the president-elect when he takes office, but also my Republican colleagues in the United States Senate if they go along with these irresponsible policies."
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Later in the interview, Blumenthal was asked about whether Trump's key cabinet picks could be confirmed without undergoing FBI background checks.
"Not responsibly," he replied. "And I think my Republican colleagues know that we cannot responsibly do our duty as senators to advise and consent to our constitutional obligation without that kind of routine vetting. Remember that these kinds of background checks are done as a mandate routinely on the guards at the White House, on FBI agents themselves... there's nothing unusual about a background check and we need them."
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