The News
US lawmakers begin vetting President-elect Donald Trump’s appointments this week. Though many of his choices are expected to sail through — Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio is seen as a shoo-in — others such as the potential intelligence chief and the defense and health secretaries are controversial even among Republicans.
Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth will be one to watch — he’s set to sit before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, homeland security secretary nominee Kristi Noem, attorney general nominee Pam Bondi, CIA pick John Ratcliffe, and Rubio will join other Trump Cabinet picks who are beginning their hearings on Wednesday.
A hearing for Trump’s intelligence pick, former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, hasn’t yet been set. Opposition to her nomination, which had generated controversy, is softening after she flipped her stance on the FISA Section 702 surveillance program and said Friday that she now supports it.
Trump’s team has grown more sure in recent weeks that all his choices will be confirmed: “We’re confident with everyone,” one person close to Trump recently told Semafor.