With the Heggseth nomination, Gabbard, some of the others, I think the pressure has been irresistible.

Raw, political pressure is turning the tide with some of them, turning their minds.

The threat of a primary, let's be very blunt, is going to sway some of them, particularly colleagues who have elections in the next cycle.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut talking about the pressure campaign by Donald Trump and his allies to get some of his most controversial cabinet picks confirmed.

We'll have more from Capitol Hill

straight ahead. Meanwhile, the president-elect is admitting now he may have some trouble

delivering on what was a key campaign promise for many voters. We'll tell you exactly what that is.

Also ahead, we'll have the latest diplomatic efforts between the United States and allies

in the Middle East following

the rebel takeover in Syria. Plus, some lawmakers in Washington now pressing the Biden

administration for answers on those mysterious drones that have been in the skies over the

East Coast. We'll tell you what the White House is saying about that. And the very latest on the extreme winter weather hitting the Midwest, causing a dramatic crash in Michigan,

lake effects snow up and down the East Coast and into the Midwest. Good morning. Welcome to

Morning, Joe. It is Friday, December 13th. I'm Willie Geist. Joe and Mika have the morning off with

us. the host of

way too early, Jonathan Lemire, MSNBC contributor, Mike Barnacle, U.S. Special Correspondent

for BBC News, Caddy Kay, and MSNBC political analyst, Elise Jordan. She's a former aide to the

George W. Bush White House and the State Department. Good morning to you all. Let's dive right in.

We begin this morning on Capitol Hill where some Senate Republicans are acknowledging the

pressure campaign. President-elect Trump and his allies are waging about some of his

controversial cabinet picks and getting them confirmed. During a discussion yesterday with the

group No Labels, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska got candid about what's going on right now.

...