Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth now appears on track for confirmation after a fiery Senate hearing where Democrats tried to discredit his character and lack of high-profile management experience for the top U.S. military job.
But Hegseth, himself an experienced combat fighter, says his job will be to turn the nation's military back into a lethal fighting machine. He also vowed to get rid of the DEI policies that were promoted during the Biden years.
On Wednesday, Trump's pick for Attorney-General, Pam Bondi of Florida, made it clear at her hearing that she believed the Biden Justice Department was weaponized against Donald Trump over the last four years.
On Monday, Trump is expected to come inside the Capitol after he is inaugurated to sign the paperwork to formally nominate his picks for top Cabinet and administrative positions, launching the confirmation process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Senate will vote on nominees as soon as they are ready.
First up could be Sen.Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a former Trump rival for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, who is now the president-elect's choice for secretary of state.
Rubio promised an “America First” foreign policy agenda during his own confirmation hearing Wednesday. As a well-known senator, he is expected to have broad support from Republicans, as well as Democrats. His confirmation vote could be as soon as Monday evening.
