Senator Elisabeth Warren, top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, sent a 33-page letter to Pete Hegseth just before the hearing. In it, she laid out about 100 questions that she expected him to answer at the confirmation hearing. In the letter, she described why she believes Pete Hegseth is unfit to serve; she even referred to him as "an insider threat," which is due to a tattoo that Hegseth has, which Warren believes is tied to right-wing extremism.
Even though Hegseth battled Democrats during the hearing, he had several Republican Senators who stood by his side, offering their support and defending him as well. Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis praised Hegseth's credibility and potential to address concerns regarding the U.S. military's strength and credibility. The Senators who also supported Hegseth are Rick Scott, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz.
Senator Tommy Tubberville, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised Hegseth and encouraged him, stating, "He will be ripped. He will be demeaned. He will be talked about. But we're going to get him across the finish line."
He then went on to add: "The last four years has been an absolute disaster for our military. Again, we have a lot of good people, a lot of good men and women, that believe in the United States of America. But we got to go forward and we have to have a leader. It all starts with one person. We don't need a general from the Pentagon. We've tried that. We need a drill sergeant, somebody that's been in two wars, somebody that understands camaraderie and team and work ethic and time, restraint and respect."
Several protesters from both sides caused interruptions during the hearing and were escorted out. Some protesters were among the hundreds of veterans who gathered in Washington, D.C., to support Pete Hegseth. Hegseth spent his recent week on Capitol Hill meeting with Senators to rally his support.
The hearings for Pam Bondi for Attorney General, Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, John Radcliffe for CIA Director, Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation, Chris Wright for Energy Secretary, and Russell Vought for Director of the Office of Management and Budget began on the morning of Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
Pam Bondi, nominated for Attorney General, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Democrats have expressed concerns regarding Bondi's ability to maintain independence from Trump. Democratic senators questioned Bondi on whether she would uphold the Justice Department's integrity, which is against political influence. Pam Bondi pledged that she would not politicize the DOJ.
Bondi was also blasted with questions regarding her stance on the 2020 election. Some senators, such as Senator Alex Padilla and Senator Mazie Hirono, challenged her on her refusal to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election. Bondi stated that Biden is the U.S. President, but she avoided exactly who won the election in 2020. Bondi was also questioned on her ethics, pardons, past actions, and statements.
When Democratic Senator Chris Coons questioned Bondi on the clemency process and whether it should be reformed or not. Bondi then slammed President Biden on his choice of pardons as a response, "I would love to look at that process. I can tell you that the pardons, the commutations that Joe Biden just made, were abhorrent to me, absolutely abhorrent, taking people off death row. I looked at the facts of many of those cases, and they were so troubling to me. I would I don't know what process you intend to implement, but I would love to study that with you."
Because of the Republican majority in the Senate, Pam Bondi is expected to be confirmed as the next Attorney General. Even though she faces backlash, she has strong support from Republican Senators. Senator Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, praised Bondi, describing her as "highly qualified" in his opening statement and highlighting her experience as a prosecutor in Hillsborough County, Florida, as well as her time as Florida's Attorney General.
Senator Marco Rubio has been nominated for the Secretary of State position and appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. His hearing is expected to be one of the easiest, as both the top Republican Senator, James Risch, and Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen of the committee have praised Rubio due to his qualifications. This indicates a relatively smooth confirmation process for Rubio. During the hearing, Rubio expressed his hard-line foreign policy stances on China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran. He advocates for a policy focusing on American interests and warns against reliance on China.
Rubio had a contentious relationship with Trump during the 2016 presidential race, but he has since aligned more closely with President-elect Trump's foreign policy, which advocates for America First. Rubio gained abundant support from Republicans and Democrats, which highly indicates that he will be confirmed.
John Ratcliffe has been nominated for CIA Director and has appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Just like Rubio, he is not expected to face confirmation difficulties. His experience as the former Director of National Intelligence during President Trump's first term is seen as a qualification by many. Ratcliffe outlined his vision for the CIA during the hearing. His vision includes forceful intelligence gathering, meaning human intelligence collection and technology such as AI and quantum computing will be used. He also promised to make the agency more proactive and keep delivering intelligence free from political bias, which means that the CIA under his leadership will be apolitical.
Some Republicans and even Democrats have defended Ratcliffe due to his experience, while some Democrats and former intelligence officials have criticized him and alleged that he would politicize intelligence. Ratcliffe has been praised and supported by many Republican senators. During the hearing, Senator Tom Cotton, a chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, listed all of the ways the CIA must improve, which suggests his strong support for Ratcliffe. Senator Cotton appeared on Fox and Friends for an interview regarding the hearing. He expressed his confidence in Ratcliffe: "As CIA head, he'll focus on the core mission."
Overall, Ratcliffe's hearings reflect his vision for the CIA, and he is most likely to be nominated due to Republicans controlling the Senate and the support he has gained from numerous senators.
Sean Duffy, nominated for Secretary of Transportation, appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Duffy's path to confirmation seems smooth as both Republican and Democratic senators support him. His experience serving as a congressman and focusing on transportation issues have greatly helped him gain support.
Duffy expressed his commitment to infrastructure, innovation, and transportation safety during his hearing. He even brought up personal experiences regarding transportation and safety, particularly a car accident that involved his wife. He strongly emphasized the need to improve aviation safety by increasing the number of air traffic controllers and modernizing systems with new cutting-edge technology. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson introduced Duffy at his confirmation hearing, indicating his strong support for his former colleague, who was also from Wisconsin. Overall, the hearing focused on Duffy's vision for the DOT and the support that he has received from both parties.
Chris Wright, nominated for Energy Secretary, appeared before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Wright is the CEO of Liberty Energy, an oilfield services company known for fracking. Wright has been very outspoken about climate change policies; he famously stated that there is no climate crisis.
Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich attempted to postpone the hearing due to a lack of information on financial disclosure, ethics agreements, and background checks. Chairman Mike Lee continued with the hearing after claiming the necessary documents were produced and received, which caused Democrats to argue that they didn't have sufficient time to review them.
Like Hegseth, Wright's hearing was also interrupted several times by protesters. Some were escorted out of the hearing for shouting about the California wildfires and linking them to climate change. Climate change was a key point in Wright's hearing. He claimed that U.S. emissions have decreased since 2000. Democrats, in particular, challenged his views. Wright supported expanding the U.S.'s energy production, including natural gas, nuclear, and geothermal, while criticizing wind and solar energy. Republicans widely back Wright. Senator John Barrasso praised Trump's choice of Wright by stating that Wright would be a powerhouse Energy Secretary. Barrasso also emphasized Wright's role in the American shale revolution. Although Wright faced controversy and there was an attempt to delay his hearing, he is expected to be confirmed by the Senate.
Russell Vought, nominated for the Office of Management and Budget director position, appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Vought previously served as OMB Director during President Trump's first term and is known for his aggressive efforts to cut costs.
Much of Vought's hearing revolved around his involvement with Project 2025 and Democrats expressing their concerns about its proposals to expand executive power. Vought defended these ideas and argued for a stronger and more accountable executive branch. Vought also expressed his commitment to fiscal conservatism.
Despite Democrats being vocal about their dislike for Vought as Director of OMB, given the Republican majority in the Senate, he is expected to be confirmed. Senator Rand Paul strongly expressed his support for Vought in his post-hearing statement:
"Russell Vought demonstrated today that he knows the challenge ahead of him and President Trump and will not be distracted by partisan attacks or distortions of President Trump's agenda. There is no doubt he will be swiftly confirmed."
Doug Burgum, nominated for Secretary of the Interior, appeared before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. During the hearing, Burgum was questioned on energy, mineral resources, public lands, and environmental policies. Burgum's responses to the committee covered various issues, such as managing public lands, mining, oil, and gas production, and how the activities would contribute to America's economic balance sheet.Burgum's stance on energy policy was a highlight of the discussion. As a former governor of North Dakota, an oil-producing state, he has advocated for increased U.S. energy production. Burgum greatly emphasized the importance of coal and the reliability of energy for national security.
Many Republican senators support Burgum. In a video published by the Daily Caller on X, Senator John Hoeven expressed his support for Burgum and said he would confirm his nomination. Hoeven previously supported Burgum during his presidential campaign and built a friendship with him.
Scott Bessent, nominated for Secretary of the Treasury, appeared before the Senate Finance Committee. The hearing assessed Bessent's qualifications and suitability for the position. It focused on his stance concerning fiscal policy, taxes, tariffs, trade, and the management of the public debt and the Internal Revenue Service. Bessent intends to usher in the new golden age of economics by supporting Trump's economic policies. He wants to keep the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency, firmly push for permanent tax cuts, and address wasteful spending, which will manage inflation.
Numerous Republican senators support Bessent, as several have openly expressed their support and confidence in him for the position. Senator Tim Scott released a statement before the hearing expressing his support for Bessent. Scott mentioned his experience and success as an entrepreneur, which makes him a "perfect fit" to work with President Trump.
Lee Zeldin, nominated for the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, appeared before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. In his opening statement, Zeldin focused on protecting the environment, human health, and the U.S. economy and pledged to uphold the EPA's mission. Zeldin is close with Trump and is expected to roll back Biden's climate policies. Many senators support Zeldin, which can ensure his swift path to confirmation. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has expressed her support for his nomination. Senator Cynthia Lummis has also been involved in discussions with Zeldin, which suggests that she supports his confirmation—however, no statement of support was mentioned.
Eric Scott Turner, nominated for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Turner has a strong background: He is a former NFL player, motivational speaker, and politician. He previously served as the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council and was a Texas State representative. Turner has advocated for policies that align with President Trump's vision for America. This includes revising or rolling back regulations to favor homeownership.
Turner's hearing focuses on his qualifications and stances on access to homeownership, fair housing laws, and housing policies, specifically those concerning low—to moderate families. Turner is greatly supported by multiple senators and former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson. With the majority of the Senate being Republican and in favor of Turner, it is projected that he has a clear path to confirmation.
Lastly, Kirsti Noem, nominated for Secretary of Homeland Security, appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Her hearing lasted a mere three hours, during which Noem pledged to ensure the safety and security of Americans and focused on her time as Governor of South Dakota.
At her hearing, Noem emphasized the importance of securing the U.S.-Mexico border. She described the circumstances at the Texas border as a "War zone." Noem promised to end the use of Customs and Border Protection for asylum applications and to restore the "Remain in Mexico" policy. Noem also stated that the number one threat to homeland security is the southern border, as she even cited the statistics on the individuals from the terrorist watch list that cross over into the U.S. Questions were also raised about Domestic terrorism, which led to Noem acknowledging the need for greater agency cooperation to address those threats, she then linked it back to the issues with immigration.
Noem also touched on issues such as cybersecurity. She was highly critical of the DHS's cybersecurity agency for straying away from its core mission due to engaging in misinformation and disinformation. She advocated for a refocus on protecting businesses from cyberattacks. Another key issue brought up during the hearing was disaster relief. Noem expressed and committed to delivering disaster relief without any political bias. Under her leadership, all Americans would have equal access to disaster aid.
Noem has received abundant support, specifically from South Dakota Senator John Thune. Thune expressed his support and gratitude for Noem in several posts on X. Due to Noem's support and the fact that the Republicans control the Senate, she will likely be confirmed.
