'Up to us to stop him': Petition to block Trump Cabinet picks gets 44K signatures in 5 days

A petition has gone viral asking senators to stop President-elect Donald Trump's far-right Cabinet appointees from being confirmed when the next Congress begins in January.

Newsweek reported that the MoveOn.org petition has garnered more than 44,000 signatures since it was launched five days ago — which is roughly double the 20,000 signatures it accumulated roughly a day after it went live on MoveOn's platform. The petition is addressed to "the Senate" and calls on all senators to "reject these Cabinet nominees to protect working Americans from the dysfunction our federal agencies will face under the direction of these appointees."

The petition's description specifically names Cabinet appointees like Director of National Intelligence-designate Tulsi Gabbard, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Defense Secretary-designate Pete Hegseth, describing them as "self-serving people" that will "seek to enact Trump's radical Project 2025 agenda."

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"As we face a second Trump term, Senate Democrats must do everything in their power to protect our essential government programs and services by rejecting Trump's Cabinet nominees," the petition reads. "The consequences of these nominations will affect every person in America."

Some senators are already expressing a lack of confidence in some of Trump's more controversial picks. Gabbard's warmth toward Russian President Vladimir Putin is making some members of the Senate uncomfortable about the prospect of putting her in charge of U.S. intelligence agencies. Hegseth is likely to face a tough confirmation battle given his public advocacy in favor of indoctrinating children with Christian nationalist ideology. And other Cabinet appointees, like Navy Secretary-designate John Phelan, have been criticized for having no experience relevant to their potential new positions.

"Trump is handpicking MAGA loyalists who will protect him at all costs and do anything to enact Project 2025," the petition stated. "It's up to us to stop him when we can and slow down any impact he could have on the American people. "Trump is trying to create a society where the rich get richer and the working class have to pay even more out of their pockets."

Click here to read Newsweek's full article. And click here to read the petition in its entirety.

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