The Republican-led Senate confirmed 48 of President Donald Trump’s remaining nominees for below-cabinet-level federal positions, moving ahead with what’s called an “en bloc” nominee package after Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) invoked the nuclear option.

The bloc of 48 nominees confirmed on Thursday included a number of lower level War Department positions — and several ambassadorships including those held by Kimberly Guilfoyle and Callista Gingrich — and passed 51-47 along party lines.

WATCH:

48 NOMINEES: CONFIRMED TODAY ✅@SenateGOP ended liberal obstruction and CHANGED the Senate rules to get @POTUS’ sub-cabinet noms in place (in groups) and speed up the process.

We just confirmed the first “en bloc” nominee package of 48.

More to come. 👇 pic.twitter.com/Dg4oxsrHCl

— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) September 18, 2025

Thune promised to move forward with the nuclear option a week earlier, saying that Democrats had stonewalled the process long enough.

Quoting Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Thune said that it was unacceptable for nominees to be blocked unless there was a legitimate reason or concern that made it necessary.

Thune also pointed out the fact that all of the 48 nominees in the first bloc had actually been approved out of committee — with bipartisan support — and were only being blocked in the full Senate.

The Senate Democrats, he said at the time, were intentionally stalling the process by refusing to allow the nominees to be confirmed by voice vote or unanimous consent, as is traditionally done with civilian nominees.

One major nominee who did not make it through on Thursday was former Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), whose nomination to serve as Ambassador to the United Nations is still pending. Democrats succeeded in recent weeks in having Waltz’s nomination sent back to committee.

Comedy Central should continue to air the “South Park” episode that mocked the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, one of those closest to him is saying.

Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of “The Charlie Kirk Show” and a friend of the Turning Point USA founder, said that Kirk would not want the episode pulled from the network in the wake of his assassination at Utah Valley University

“Hey @paramountplus, as someone who can speak with some authority on this, Charlie loved that he was featured in South Park. He told me many times. He would want the episode back up,” Kolvet posted.

Hey @paramountplus, as someone who can speak with some authority on this, Charlie loved that he was featured in South Park. He told me many times. He would want the episode back up.

— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKsway) September 17, 2025

The episode, titled “Got a Nut,” originally aired on August 6 — and featured the character Cartman parodying Kirk’s debate style and mannerisms. The show even got a positive review from Kirk himself: “Not bad, Cartman.”

Another person commented on the way the show’s creators had animated Cartman put down the microphone and take a sip of water while listening to a question — and then pick it back up afterward — prompting Kirk to add, “Eerily spot on.”

Not bad, Cartman 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Avs1mtYWeV

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 7, 2025

Kirk also made a video response to the episode, saying that the fact that they were mocking him was proof of just how big the movement he started had become. “There’s going to be a lot said about this, but we need to have a good spirit about being made fun of,” he said. “This is all a success, this is all a win. We, as conservatives, we have thick skin, not thin skin. And you can make fun of us, it doesn’t matter. And until next time, I hope all of you all become master debaters for truth.”

@ComedyCentral Pulling the Charlie Kirk South Park episode isn’t what Charlie would have wanted.

It’s what the people celebrating his death want. pic.twitter.com/o0OZGYpULX

— Jeff Gray (@jeff_gray) September 11, 2025