The U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs’ Ranking Member, Senator Elizabeth Warren, published opening remarks ahead of an executive session vote on four Trump Administration nominees for Assistant Secretary posts at the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), stating she would vote no on all four. Her statement opposed the nominations of Jonathan Burke (Treasury, Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes), Christopher Pilkerton (Treasury, Investment Security), Ben Hobbs (HUD, Public and Indian Housing), and Ronnie Kurtz (HUD, Community and Development Planning). Warren argued that the nominees’ records and positions aligned with administration actions she said would undermine housing affordability, weaken HUD’s response in a housing crisis, and roll back efforts to counter illicit finance and coordinate sanctions, citing in particular an eight-month pause on “basic Russian sanctions” and concerns about foreign transactions and national security. She also referenced broader administration policies including a potential government shutdown tied to health care cuts and a proposed USD 20 billion bailout to Argentina.
U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs 2025-09-30
U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs ranking member says she will vote against Trump nominees for Treasury and HUD assistant secretary roles
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, opposed four Trump Administration nominees for Assistant Secretary roles at the Treasury and HUD. Warren criticized their records, citing concerns over housing affordability, HUD's crisis response, efforts to counter illicit finance, and broader administration policies like a potential government shutdown and a proposed USD 20 billion bailout to Argentina.