A big week for President-elect Trump begins in earnest on Tuesday, with deliberations before Senate committees deciding the fate of his nominees for key posts.
But beyond the details of each hearing, the entire process will be a litmus test for the incoming Trump administration. It will shed light on the president-elect's penchant for media celebrities and mavericks, and it will test how tightly he grips the Republican Party.
Much of the attention will likely focus on Pete Hegseth, President Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon.
Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) was originally scheduled to appear at a hearing on the same day seeking confirmation to lead the Interior Department. But even the relatively low-wattage Mr. Burgum faced backlash from Democrats frustrated by the incomplete paperwork. Burgum's hearing was adjourned to Thursday.
Other Trump nominees facing Senate committees this week include South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), who heads the Department of Homeland Security; Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (Republican) has been appointed as the head of the Department of Justice. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) becomes Secretary of State. Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe heads the CIA. Billionaire investor Scott Bessent will become Treasury Secretary.
Two of President Trump's most controversial nominees are Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who will become secretary of Health and Human Services, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, who will become director of national intelligence. ) has not yet scheduled a public hearing. Both men are likely to face the toughest possible questioning.
Mr. Trump lost one high-profile candidate, as former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) withdrew his name as a candidate for attorney general. Gaetz has been dogged by allegations of sordid behavior, although he has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
The broader point of the Gaetz debacle is that it leaves President Trump with little freedom over the remaining candidates. At the time, it fueled speculation that the wheels might come off for other candidates, particularly Mr. Hegseth, a former Fox News personality who was revealed to have paid settlements to women who allege he sexually assaulted him. . Hegseth, through his lawyer, denied the assault and said he paid the settlement to protect his television career.
Hegseth had two other potential strikes. There were accusations of poor management of a small organization he was involved with and stories of inappropriate drinking. At one stage, media reports suggest that President Trump is considering removing Hegseth from the Pentagon nomination in favor of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), the president-elect's former primary rival. There was even.
But Hegseth weathered the storm. In the process, the overall movement to approve Trump's nominees also appeared to stabilize.
One important development regarding Hegseth was an encouraging sign from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Ernst was considered one of the Republicans most potentially skeptical of Hegseth, in part because of her extensive work on sexual assault in the military. .
But Mr. Ernst and Mr. Hegseth have met at least twice since his nomination was announced. After the second conversation, Ernst released a statement on Dec. 9 saying the candidates were “committed to completing a full audit of the Department of Defense and selecting senior officials who will protect the roles and values of service members and military personnel.” …And who ever will.” I will prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within our ranks. ”
Ernst added: “We will support Pete through this process.” Although this statement fell short of a clear promise to vote for him, it was still significant.
Hegseth also adjusted her views on the topic of women serving in combat roles. In November, he said on his podcast, “I just want to be blunt and say that women shouldn't be in combat roles.” It doesn't make us more efficient. ”
But amid concerns that these comments could dent confirmation hopes, Mr. Hegseth told conservative commentator Megyn Kelly the following month, “If we have adequate standards… , if a woman meets that standard, Roger, Roger.” Let's go. “
Hegseth is not the only controversial Trump presidential candidate who has apparently adjusted his views to help his chances of confirmation.
Gabbard recently executed a sharp U-turn on a controversial law: Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This provision gives U.S. intelligence agencies considerable latitude to collect electronic communications of people outside the United States who are not U.S. citizens without a warrant.
The progressive left and liberal right have serious problems with the bill, arguing in part that it makes Americans susceptible to its power. These kinds of concerns were one of the reasons Gabbard voted against reauthorizing FISA in 2020.
But on Friday, Gabbard told ABC News that while “previous concerns about FISA were based on insufficient protections for civil liberties,” she would now “protect Fourth Amendment rights.” “We will maintain important national security measures like Section 702.” Ensure the safety and freedom of the American people. ”
This change alone appears to have warmed the hearts of some Republican senators who had previously been lukewarm about Ms. Gabbard.
There have always been questions about how eager Republican senators are to defy President Trump.
For Trump skeptics within the party, the Senate has slightly more favorable terrain than the House. But some within the Republican Party are rushing to defy the wishes of the newly elected president, who, like it or not, has made a stunning political comeback to win the November election fairly easily. There aren't many.
Of course, there is a possibility that the turbulence will continue in the future. And Democrats will do everything in their power to embarrass President Trump's nominees in their hearings.
But it's still likely that most of his picks will be finalized.
The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.
