Chris Wright’s Senate confirmation hearing begins
President Trump’s Energy Secretary nominated Chris Wright for a Senate confirmation hearing before the hearing began with an opening statement from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee.
— Ece Yildirim
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy vows to ‘restore global confidence in Boeing’
Rep. Sean Duffy, Republican of Wisconsin.
Andrew Harnik | AP
The Senate Commerce Committee has begun confirmation hearings for former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wy.), President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Transportation.
The airline industry has rejected many of the Biden administration’s rules for air travelers, including automatic refunds for customers, and Duffy’s approach will be a hot topic for consumer advocates and airline executives to watch. Probably.
In his opening testimony, Duffy nods to a key industry concern: a shortage of air traffic controllers, pointing to the aerospace giant and America’s largest exporter’s continued struggles and “restoring global confidence in Boeing. and ensure the safety of the skies.”
— Leslie Josephs
Rubio’s confirmation hearing begins with praise from Sen. Scott
Sen. Marco Rubio arrives for a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination for Secretary of State on January 15, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington, DC.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has begun hearings on Rubio’s nomination for secretary of state.
Sen. Rick Scott, Rubio’s fellow Florida Republican, said, “Marco will continue to work with allies and Democrats to stand up to our enemies and work with the United States to prevent communist footholds in China, Iran, and Russia.” “I understand the values of our leaders.”
– Dan Mangan
Hearing begins for CIA pick John Ratcliffe
President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for CIA director, John Ratcliffe, arrives for his Senate intelligence confirmation hearing at the U.S. Capitol on January 15, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
The Senate Intelligence Committee has begun hearings on whether to confirm John Ratcliffe as CIA Director.
— Kevin Breuninger
Border security union supports Bondi
The National Border Patrol Council endorsed Mr. Bondi for U.S. attorney general, saying in a statement that he would “ensure our nation’s borders are no longer ignored.”
— Kevin Breuninger
Bondi says he will end ‘partisan weaponization’ of Justice Department
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on her nomination to be U.S. Attorney General at the Capitol on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
In prepared opening remarks, Bondi praised Trump and vowed to end the “partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice.”
Bondi said his “overriding objective” is to “return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping the American people safe and vigorously enforcing the law.”
She also echoed President Trump’s campaign slogan, saying, “If confirmed, I will do what it takes to make America safe again.”
— kevin breuninger
Advocacy groups say Bondi’s corporate lobbying activities make her unfit to serve as AG
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi concluded her speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Orlando, Florida, USA on February 26, 2021.
Octavio Jones Reuters
The public citizen advocacy group said Bondi has previously worked for 30 companies and foreign lobbying clients, which “presents multiple potential conflicts of interest for her and the Department of Justice,” and that the attorney general’s office should not be held accountable. It’s not appropriate,” he said.
“When Pam Bondi left her job as Florida attorney general, she immediately began working as a registered lobbyist for a large corporation. Registered Foreign Agent Serving Foreign Interests” said public citizen democracy advocate John Gollinger. A closet full of contradictory clientsmany of them seek government contracts or Under investigation Mr. Bondi is now about to take control with the Justice Department. ”
Lisa Gilbert, co-chair of Public Citizen, is scheduled to testify as a witness at Bondi’s second confirmation hearing on Thursday.
– Dan Mangan
Pam Bondi arrives at hearing
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives for a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on her nomination to be U.S. Attorney General at the Capitol on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
Pam Bondi, President Trump’s nominee for attorney general, arrives at the Hart Senate Building for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
— Ece Yildirim
Mr. Bondi’s independence and loyalty to Mr. Trump are likely to come under scrutiny.
On December 2, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, speaks with incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Pa.) in his office in the Hart Senate Building in Washington, DC. (Iowa State).
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
Pam Bondi was not Trump’s first choice for head of the Department of Justice. She replaced former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who declined to run for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations and other controversies.
By comparison, Bondi, a former Florida governor and lobbyist, is a much safer choice. But she could face increased scrutiny from Democrats over her loyalty to President Trump, given their concerns about how the president-elect will seek to use the government’s judicial system against his enemies. is high.
Mr. Bondi, 59, helped lead the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, and defended Mr. Trump during his first impeachment trial in the Senate in 2020.
she also criticized Criminal cases Trump faced before the election (including those he was charged with) former special prosecutor jack smithargued that the legal system had been weaponized.
— kevin breuninger
Trump Cabinet confirmation begins with tense Pete Hegseth hearings
Trump’s Cabinet appointment process began Tuesday with a controversial Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, one of the president-elect’s most controversial figures.
The former Fox News host emerged from the hearing and is likely to be confirmed, despite a vigorous pursuit by Democrats citing Hegseth’s relative inexperience and a litany of questions about his past.
However, there were some tense moments. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, focused on Hegseth’s admitted past infidelity and 2017 sexual assault allegation.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D.N.Y.) and others pressed Ms. Hegseth about her past comments against women in combat.
But Hegseth received a warm welcome from Republicans. Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a key Republican holdout, said late Tuesday: Please vote to approve him.
— Kevin Breuninger
Gov. Kristi Noem’s hearing was postponed at the last minute
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said during a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on H.R. 3397 that while serving in the Legislature to “require the Commissioner of Land Management to rescind Bureau of Land Management regulations,” Holding up a name plate. Conservation and Landscape Health” on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Longworth Building.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
The confirmation hearing for South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, President Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, was scheduled for today but was abruptly postponed late Tuesday afternoon.
The confirmation process for Noem, a former congresswoman, was expected to be the most contentious on the agenda today.
The reason for the postponement was revealed, but The Hill newspaper reported. This is due to “delays in the FBI’s background check” on Noem.
— Christina Wilkie
