The “outsiders” chosen by Donald Trump for his cabinet quickly gain support for their confirmation

One by one, all the men and women of the president-elect fit into his cabinet.

While the nomination of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was teetering toward collapse just a few weeks ago, now appears to be on track for confirmation after a Senate hearing fiery that focused on her alcohol consumption, views of women in combat and lack of high-profile management experience for America’s highest military position.

President-elect Donald Trump’s other candidates on Wednesday surpassed a series of confirmation hearings with the help of Senate Republican allies, who got them to the finish line, despite Democratic objections. One of them, the possible FBI Director Kash Patelattended a private lunch of the Republican Party in the Senate this Wednesday to say hello.

“These candidates are bold choices,” Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said in previous remarks.

Barrasso predicted that The Senate will begin voting on January 20, inauguration day, to confirm Trump’s chosen nominees.

Without a doubt, Patel’s most controversial elections, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. They have not yet appeared before senators for public questioning. Once they do, they have a long road ahead of them to win over skeptics on both sides of the political aisle, both Republicans and Democrats.

In a letter to Republican senators on Wednesday, an organization led by Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, said it was “deeply concerned” about Kennedy for his views on abortion, and urged senators to reject it to Secretary of Health and Human Services.

But Hegseth’s ability to mount a political comeback, take the fight to his critics and turn his nomination into a litmus test for Trump’s Make America Great Again movement stands as a powerful example of the incoming White House’s ability to get what you want. Trump’s team allies, including billionaire Elon Musk and others, amplified support for Hegseth, boosting him.

“If anyone in the Senate GOP votes against confirming Pete Hegseth after his stellar performance today, there will be a primary challenge waiting for you,” Trump ally Charlie Kirk wrote on X. “You can take that to the bank ”.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote on Hegseth’s nomination on Monday, sending it to the full Senate for consideration, with confirmation possible later that week.

With the support of Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor, who initially posed questions to Hegseth, the former Army National Guard veteran overcame his biggest potential hurdle. Ernst faced an avalanche of personal and political attacks as he wavered in his support for Hegseth, an early signal to others.

Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, said the criticism of Hegseth was not as powerful as Hegseth’s image. “a warrior with dust on his boots who has really done things.”

On Wednesday, a half-dozen more of Trump’s nominees appeared before Senate committees as his team flooded the floor, senators rushing between hearing rooms to participate in as many sessions as possible.

Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi was questioned by Democrats to probe whether she believed Trump lost the 2020 election, said Biden won, or whether she would oppose presidential pardons for those convicted of crimes related to January 6, 2021.

“He says the right thing, that he’s going to be the ‘people’s lawyer,'” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

“But I think being the ‘people’s lawyer’ means you have to be able to say no to the president of the United States,” he said. “You have to be able to say that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, that you dodged that question…. You have to be able to say that the January 6 insurrectionists who committed violent acts should not be pardoned.”

Bondi responded: “I don’t have to say anything. I will answer the questions as best I can, and honestly.”

To another Trump nominee, Russ Vought, architect of Project 2025 chosen to lead the White House Office of Management and Budgetwas asked if he would commit to releasing funding approved by Congress for Ukraine. He promised to “always commit to upholding the law.”

And California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla asked Trump’s candidate to Energy, Chris Wrightif you continue to believe that “wildfires are just a hype,” following the devastating fires in Southern California that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Wright said he stood by his previous comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off.

On Monday, Trump is expected to enter the Capitol after his inauguration to sign paperwork to formally nominate his picks for top Cabinet and administrative posts, launching the confirmation process.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Senate will vote on the nominees as soon as they are ready.

The first could be the Republican senator Marco Rubio, Trump’s former 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 on Wednesday. As a well-known senator, he is expected to have broad support from Republicans and Democrats. His confirmation could be voted on Monday afternoon.

Other candidates, including Hegseth, are expected to have a more difficult path to confirmation.

Republicans have a narrow majority in the Senate, 53-47, but are down to 52 after Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned his seat last week before taking office. That means Trump’s nominees need the support of nearly all Republican senators to be confirmed by a majority over Democratic objections.

Additionally, Democrats are expected to raise procedural hurdles that would force Hegseth and other nominees to go through multiple steps before final confirmation. The exam for Hegseth and other candidates could last until the end of next week.

Senate Democratic leader Chuch Schumer acknowledged that Democrats, as a minority, are essentially powerless to stop Trump from getting his desired team.

“It’s important to have a record of these nominees,” Schumer said Wednesday as the hearings moved forward. “Even if they are confirmed in the end.”

By Lisa Mascaro (AP)