US Election 2024

Where Trump’s Cabinet nominees stand in Senate confirmation process

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and Kash Patel were in the spotlight on Capitol Hill Thursday as the urgency grew to confirm President Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominations. Kennedy, Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, faced tough questioning for the second consecutive day before the Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor & Pensions. The clash between Kennedy and Democratic senators over abortion and vaccines continued from the previous day’s Senate Finance Committee hearing.

Meanwhile, Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee for national intelligence director, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The day also saw Daniel Driscoll, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, answering questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.

After nominees testify before relevant Senate committees, the panel votes on whether to recommend them for the full Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune can file a motion to end Senate floor debate, followed by a cloture vote to halt deliberations. A nominee needs a majority vote in the Senate, with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie if necessary.

Elise Stefanik, nominated for the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, testified before the Foreign Relations Committee, which voted to advance her nomination to the Senate floor. Other nominees waiting for Senate floor votes include Russ Vought for OMB director, Scott Turner for HUD secretary, and Pam Bondi for attorney general. Agriculture Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins, Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, and Small Business Administrator nominee Kelly Loeffler have testified but are awaiting scheduling for Senate committee votes.

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The confirmation process also includes Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright and Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, who are awaiting procedural votes on the Senate floor. Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum passed the cloture vote and awaits his confirmation vote.

So far, the U.S. Senate has confirmed seven of Trump’s Cabinet nominations, including Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, John Ratcliffe for CIA Director, Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, Krisit Noem for Homeland Security Secretary, Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, Sean Duffy for Transportation Secretary, and Lee Zeldin for EPA Administrator.

The confirmation process for Trump’s Cabinet nominees continues, with more hearings and votes expected in the coming days. Stay tuned for updates on the confirmation process and the latest developments in the Senate.

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