Senate blocks Trump from making recess appointments

The Senate moved unanimously to block President Trump from making appointments during the August break Thursday evening. Democrats had said they'd make such a move after reports emerged that Trump was considering replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the recess.

• The Senate agreed to hold pro forma sessions throughout the recess. This procedure was also used to block appointments during the Obama administration.
• Worth noting: the announcement was made by moderate Republican Lisa Murkowski, who split from Trump over health care. The Senate also made a slew of confirmations and passed several measures before shutting down for the summer.
• Another update: The Senate will not hold any legislative sessions until September. Mitch McConnell had previously intended to delay the break until August 11 to allow the now-stalled health care plan to move forward.