Trump nominees face rapid Senate confirmation hearings this week
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The Senate is gearing up for a busy week of confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump’s key administration nominees, with multiple high-profile candidates set to face congressional scrutiny.
The proceedings kick off Tuesday morning when Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Secretary of Defense, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. to field questions from both sides of the aisle.
Two other major nominees, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., will have their hearings on Wednesday. Rubio, selected as Secretary of State, will meet with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations at 10 a.m., while Noem, the Homeland Security nominee, faces the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs at 9 a.m.
BREAKING: A group of former Navy SEALs, Green Berets, & other veterans are holding a press conference in Washington, DC, demanding Pete Hegseth's confirmation as Secretary of Defense.
"Pete Hegseth showed up and showed out to show his patriotism domestically, to represent our… pic.twitter.com/r3eJEjDRV1
— George (@BehizyTweets) January 13, 2025
Tuesday’s schedule also includes confirmation hearings for Doug Collins as Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior.
Wednesday’s agenda features a packed lineup of nominees, including Pam Bondi for attorney general, John Ratcliffe for CIA director, Russell Vought for OMB director, Sean Duffy for Transportation Secretary, and Chris Wright for Energy Secretary.
The confirmation process continues into Thursday with hearings for Eric Turner, Trump’s choice for HUD Secretary, and Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary nominee.
🚨 Female Marine RESPONDS to Pete Hegseth Comments about Women in Combat
US Marine Jessica Quezada spoke with me at the Navy SEALs March for @PeteHegseth Press Conference. pic.twitter.com/y2Q8tECklj
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) January 13, 2025
Republicans are moving swiftly to confirm these nominations, with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., expressing optimism about the process. “In the past, the minority party has not obstructed at least a handful of high-ranking Cabinet members to be approved in the first week. So I’m hopeful that Secretary of State, as well as Department of Homeland Security, will be approved either on the day of the inauguration, the day after or that week, as well as a few others — Department of Defense,” Paul stated.
“So, I’m hoping we get to it quickly and that we don’t muddle it around. And I still have my fingers crossed that that’s going to happen. As far as the two that I’m in charge of, I’ve seen no resistance on the Republican side. And some indication that we may get some Democrat support as well,” he added.
The push for rapid confirmations has gained additional urgency following a recent terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, which resulted in 14 deaths and 35 injuries, making the confirmation of national security positions particularly crucial.
