‘Remains to Be Seen’: Republican Majority Leader Not Sure Trump Pick Kash Patel Will Get Full GOP Support in Senate

New Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune of South Dakota told CBS he’s not sure if every GOP Senator will vote yes on confirming every nominee put forth by President-elect Donald Trump — particularly picks like Kash Patel or Pete Hegseth. “They still have to make their case,” he said.

Thune joined host Margaret Brennan for an interview that aired on the newest Face the Nation on CBS to talk about the new administration and Republican majority, Sunday, including the upcoming confirmation hearings on Trump’s cabinet appointments.

One nominee has already withdrawn his name and moved on to getting make-up tips from fellow former Republican George Santos at right wing network OAN.

Among the remaining names, two in particular continue to face massive pushback from the left and the media, and face uncertain futures within their own party, as Thune somewhat confirmed to Brennan during their talk.

Brennan brought up the new 53-seat majority, pointing out that it means on some issues the GOP can only afford three defectors from the party line, and segued to ask whether that might mean some Trump picks don’t “make it through.”

“I suspect a lot of them will get through,” Thune said. “And – and we’ll see about all of them. Remains to be seen.”

Brennan replied that Thune has said before they’ll have to “see if Democrats play ball or not,” and asked him if that means he already knows “some of your Republican senators won’t vote to confirm Kash Patel at the FBI or Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon?”

“We don’t have, at this point, I don’t think, clarity on that,” Thune replied uncertainly. “I think these are nominees who are new enough, they’ve been going around and conducting their meetings, which I think, frankly, have gone very well. But they still have to make their case in front of – of the committee.”

Brennan also asked if that meant full FBI background checks, a point of contention already in the process, and he said that he would “encourage” that, but it’s up to the committee chairs.

BRENNAN: You have a 53-seat majority over here, which means you can only lose three votes. If Democrats remain unified in their opposition to some of Mr. Trump’s picks for his cabinet, do you expect them all to make it through?

THUNE: What I promised is a fair process for all of them. When it comes to his picks, and I would say this of any president, they deserve a lot of latitude. His picks are going to come through a process where if they get reported out of the committee, come across the floor of the Senate, we’ll make sure that they get the – the vote.

And I think that – I suspect a lot of them will get through. And – and we’ll see about all of them. Remains to be seen. But I think that’s why we have the process, adhere to that process, and give all of these nominees an opportunity to make their case.

BRENNAN: You’ve said you have to see if Democrats play ball or not. But you don’t need Democrats to get these through. So, does that mean you already know some of your Republican senators won’t vote to confirm Kash Patel at the FBI or Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon?

THUNE: We don’t have, at this point, I don’t think, clarity on that. I think these are nominees who are new enough, they’ve been going around and conducting their meetings, which I think, frankly, have gone very well. But they still have to make their case in front of – of the committee.

And, you know, we don’t know all the information about some of these nominees. I think we know a lot about them. But they deserve a fair process.

We have a three-vote margin in the Senate, as you point out, but I do think that in most cases at least, most of our Republican senators are inclined to give the president the people that he wants in these positions, given, you know, the process that they go through and whether or not they can manage the committee process and ensure that they get to the floor for a vote.

BRENNAN: Does that include FBI background checks? I know often the ranking members get them on Armed Services, for example, but some of your colleagues, they want to see Pete Hegseth’s FBI background check before they vote.

THUNE: Right. And I think that’s going to be determined largely by the committee chairs. I think there will be an interest, obviously –

BRENNAN: Would you encourage that?

THUNE: Well, sure. I mean I think that you want to have as much background as possible and that is available to the committees as they make their decisions.

However, CBS also reported after the interview that Thune allegedly told Trump that Hegseth does have the votes — which may not be a discrepancy so much as the difference between speaking for Senate committees before they vote, and simply updating the president-elect on the ongoing tally that party leaders keep when considering issues or nominees.

Watch the clip above via CBS News.