This has been a whirlwind of a week for Congress and Florida legislature as President Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are slowly but steadily being confirmed, and local lawmakers try to draft measures that line up with President Trump’s administration.
Florida Senator Rick Scott joined Jacksonville’s Morning News, laying out the current status of cabinet confirmations and those to come.
Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard has successfully assumed the position of Director of National Intelligence as of yesterday.
Kash Patel’s nomination for the Director of the FBI is on track to go through next Thursday morning.
Efforts to go through with confirmations have repeatedly been blocked. When asked if some of the candidates are more controversial than others, Senator Rick Scott says he does not believe they compare to previous cabinet picks; including former Attorney Generals Merrick Garland and Eric Holder of the Biden and Obama administrations.
Senator Scott claims the FBI and DOJ has been targeting Kash Patel. WOKV has previously reported at least one Democratic senator has asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate Patel had been “personally directing the ongoing purge” of agents at the FBI.
When asked about the nearly hour-long conversation between President Vladimir Putin and President Trump, and efforts to end the war in Ukraine, Senator Scott said, “The only way this is gonna end is if if people start talking. I want Ukraine to win, I want Russia to lose. I’d like Putin to be in jail for the rest of his life.”
Senator Scott lauded President Trump’s accomplishments since taking office, including homecomings for at least nine American hostages from Hamas, Taliban, and Maduro; Mexico and Canada mobilizing troops at the border; Colombia and Venezuela taking migrant flights back; Panama ending the Belt and Road Initiative with China; killed an ISIS leader in Somalia; and signed executive orders with the intent to protect women’s sports.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other Florida lawmakers are expected to cast a final vote on a trio of updated immigration packages that would follow President Trump’s executive orders. Rick Scott says he’s unfamiliar with what Florida legislators plan to do, but says he has confidence that they are committed to working with President Trump to secure the border and work with federal agencies to ensure those designated as criminals who cross the border will not be here very long.
Those proposed laws are expected to stiffen penalties for those who commit crimes while here illegally, including the death penalty for capital crimes. When asked if other countries may take this as reciprocity to execute American prisoners overseas, Senator Scott says while it is unfortunate that Americans are being targeted across the globe, he stressed how much illegal entry into the United States is a risk that makes migrants a target.
Over the next week, Senator Rick Scott says he’s excited to start budget reconciliation for border security, secure more money for defense, and the Kash Patel confirmation next week.
©2025 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
