Senator John Neely Kennedy

A Senate Banking Committee hearing grew heated when Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) erupted at one of President Donald Trump's nominees to head a key federal agency.

Politico reported Thursday that Kennedy became visibly frustrated with acting Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) chairman Travis Hill while questioning him about FDIC workplace culture. Kennedy repeatedly pressed Hill on his plans for making the FDIC a less hostile workplace after a 2024 report found there was pervasive sexual harassment and discrimination at FDIC headquarters.

"I have had enough of this, and if your name came up in front of me right now, I wouldn’t vote for you," Kennedy told Hill. "Got nothing to do with your policy chops, but I have had enough."

Hill has personally not been accused of any sexual misconduct. However, an independent third-party investigation conducted last year by the law firm Cleary Gottlieb found that more than 500 current and former employees shared stories of harassment. Kennedy gave Hill an ultimatum: If he wanted his vote, he had 30 days to provide a comprehensive plan for addressing workplace culture within the FDIC

"Until I’m convinced that they’re not going to sweep this under the rug — and that there’s going to be justice for these young women that they touched and harassed and tried to have sex with — then I’m not going to go for him," Kennedy said.

Hill's nomination has to first clear the Senate Banking Committee, which has 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats. If Kennedy votes against Hill and he fails to obtain a majority, his nomination will have been effectively scuttled assuming all Democrats vote no.

If the Senate Banking Committee fails to confirm Hill, it would merely mark the latest setback for the Trump administration, as four Senate Republicans recently rejected Trump's pick to be ambassador to Kuwait due to his history of anti-Semitic comments. Paul Ingrassia, who was Trump's pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel (which is unrelated to the Department of Justice), recently has his nomination withdrawn after he was revealed to have written racist text messages in a private group.

Click here to read Politico's full report.