As he assumed the post of Senate minority leader, Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Tuesday that he now regrets using the “nuclear option” that changed the chamber’s rules to allow confirmation of Cabinet nominees with 51 votes instead of 60 votes.

“Wish it hadn’t happened,” the New York Democrat said in an interview on CNN.

The change, which was made in 2013 when Democrats were in the majority and wanted to push through President Obama’s nominees, now makes it easy for Republicans to confirm President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks.

At the time, Republicans warned Democrats that they would regret blowing up the rules if their roles were ever reversed.

Mr. Schumer said he made the same argument to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat.

“I argued against it at the time,” Mr. Schumer said. “I said both for Supreme Court and in Cabinet should be 60 because on such important positions there should be some degree of bipartisanship. I won on Supreme Court, lost on Cabinet. But it’s what we have to live with now.”

Senate Democrats have promised fierce confirmation fights and, if all else fails, to use procedural maneuvers to stall the confirmation process for months.

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