Barrasso touts Trump’s Cabinet picks

CASPER — Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso praised Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks and touted the president-elect’s plans for domestic energy production and immigration during an appearance on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream.

The incoming Senate majority whip, Barrasso told Bream that the Senate plans to work to set Trump’s Cabinet by his Jan. 20 inauguration.

“President Trump has made wonderful choices for his Cabinet. It’s a complete list,” Barrasso said. “These are people that are going to work to get America back on track, across the board. And every one of them is going to have a hearing, a fair process, and then what they’re going to have is a timely vote in the United States Senate.”

While Barrasso said he has already started meeting with some of the nominated Cabinet picks, the Wyoming senator said there is no set date for when hearings will take place. The earliest hearings can take place is after Jan. 3 — when elected senators and representatives are to be sworn in.

Later, Bream asked Barrasso how much of an effort will be made on improving domestic oil drilling.

“If you want to actually lower prices across the country, energy is the place to start, and energy security is national security. It’s economic security,” Barrasso said.

He added that Trump’s pick to head the Department of Energy — Chris Wright — is the correct person for the job.

“The last four years ... these radical climate elitists, what they’ve done is put a noose around the neck of American energy,” Barrasso told Bream. “... The people that the president has nominated for energy, they know how to take the handcuffs off of American energy and get the American energy economy pumping again.”

Wright is chief executive officer for a Denver-based energy company.

Bream wrapped up by asking Barrasso about Trump’s proposed plan to deploy the military to carry out a mass deportation program.

“There are over 10 million illegal immigrants in the country right now. We are talking about drug dealers, people in criminal cartels. These are folks who have actually been murdering, raping, poisoning American citizens,” Barrasso said.

He added Trump’s election victory is a sign that American citizens are concerned about immigration.

“People want to feel safe in their own homes. So when you take a look at the president and President Trump saying we’re going to do mass deportations of these illegal immigrant criminals —  three out of four Americans support that,” Barrasso said. “We have to make America safe again. What the president is talking about is the right thing to do.”

This story was published on November 27, 2024.

424 words