Confirmation Hearings for Trump’s Administration Picks Set to Begin This Week
The Republican-controlled Senate is preparing to hold confirmation hearings for over a dozen high-profile administration picks for President-elect Trump’s next term. The hearings will take place over a week, starting on Tuesday, and will cover a range of key positions, including Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and Secretary of Homeland Security.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, will be the first to face questioning on Tuesday, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. Sen. Marco Rubio, tapped to be Secretary of State, will face the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, while Gov. Kristi Noem, chosen to be Secretary of Homeland Security, will appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs at 9 a.m. the same day.
Other notable hearings include those for Doug Collins to serve as Secretary of Veterans Affairs and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum for Secretary of the Interior, with both set to take place on Tuesday. Hearings for Pam Bondi, picked to be Attorney General, John Ratcliffe to direct the Central Intelligence Agency, Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget, Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation, and Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy will be held on Wednesday.
Eric Turner, chosen to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and Scott Bessent, tapped to lead the Treasury Department, will face questioning on Thursday.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., hopes to confirm the nominees as quickly as possible, expressing his desire to confirm key picks on the day of Trump’s inauguration or shortly after. Paul believes that a swift confirmation process will help to address concerns raised by a recent terror attack in New Orleans, which left 14 dead and 35 injured.
