A slate of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees have appeared before senators in recent days for key hearings on their road to confirmation.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was the first to be confirmed, securing the secretary of State position with a unanimous vote on inauguration day. Other Trump picks, though, face more resistance.
A handful of nominees have already advanced out of committees, teeing up floor votes. But hearings are yet to be scheduled for still more of Trump’s choices, including some of the most contentious names in the mix.
Here’s the latest on key Trump picks to join his administration:
Confirmed
Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
The Senate unanimously confirmed former Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as America’s 72nd secretary of State.
The vote came in on Trump’s inauguration day, cementing the first member of the president’s Cabinet just as he assumed office.
Rubio’s seat in the Senate will be filled by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
In Progress
Defense Secretary: Pete Hegseth
Hegseth was the first of Trump’s Cabinet picks to appear before a Senate committee in the week ahead of his inauguration. The former Fox News host has been one of the president’s most controversial choices, drawing sharp criticism from Democrats over his qualifications, views on women in combat and allegations of infidelity and excessive drinking, which he denies.
The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday advanced Hegseth on a party-line vote.
Homeland Security secretary: Kristi Noem
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, went before senators last week after an initial delay to her hearing.
Noem has been vocal about immigration and border issues, though the Mount Rushmore State is far from the U.S-Mexico line. She was floated as a possible running mate for Trump before a controversial anecdote from her memoir appeared to dull her chances.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Monday advanced Noem by a largely bipartisan 13-2 vote and Senate Republicans hoped to confirm her the week of Trump’s inauguration.
Office of Management and Budget director: Russel Vought
Russell Vought is on track to be Trump’s next director of the Office of Management and Budget, reprising first-term role.
Democrats grilled Vought during his hearing last week on his ties to Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for a second Trump term.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 8-7 on Monday to advance the would-be budget chief. He also faces a hearing before the Senate Budget Committee on Wednesday.
CIA Director: John Ratcliffe
John Ratcliffe, Trump’s former head of national intelligence, is on deck to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in his second term.
After a largely cordial hearing last week, the Senate Intelligence Committee pushed Ratcliffe a step closer on Monday, advancing his nomination with a 14-3 vote.
Senate Republicans planned to hold a floor vote on Ratcliffe on Tuesday, but Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said on the floor that Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) nixed a time agreement that would have sped up the confirmation.
Treasury secretary: Scott Bessent
Scott Bessent, the billionaire founder and CEO of hedge fund Key Square Group, is Trump’s nominee to lead the Treasury, overseeing U.S. financial security.
The Senate Finance Committee voted 16-11 on Tuesday to advance Bessent, teeing up a floor vote. Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) notably bucked party lines to join Republicans in backing the nomination.
Bessent would be the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate under a Republican president.
Attorney General: Pam Bondi
Pam Bondi, Florida’s former attorney general, is Trump’s second choice to lead the Department of Justice after his initial pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) withdrew from consideration amid controversy.
Bondi was a senior adviser on the defense team for Trump’s first impeachment and has backed Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
She appeared last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she was grilled by Democrats over Trump’s potential influence over a Bondi-led DOJ. A committee meeting to advance her nomination initially slated for Wednesday has been postponed.
Interior Secretary: Doug Burgum
Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) appeared last week before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee after an initial paperwork delay.
Burgum, who ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, faced Democratic questions about the new administration’s controversial climate stances, though the hearing was largely cordial.
If confirmed to the post, Burgum would also be in charge of Trump’s new “Council of National Energy.”
Transportation secretary: Sean Duffy
Former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy, who would oversee national transportation systems and infrastructure as Transportation Secretary, appeared before senators last week.
He told the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee that, if confirmed, he’d dig into issues around Boeing and buck pressure to interfere with Tesla – the company helmed by top Trump ally Elon Musk.
Housing and Urban Development secretary: Scott Turner
An alum of Trump’s first administration, Scott Turner was previously executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. For the president’s second term, he’s been tapped to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The former NFL player appeared last week before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.
Energy secretary: Chris Wright
Chris Wright, the founder and CEO of Liberty Energy, is Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Energy Department amid Trump’s pledges to “drill, baby, drill” and roll back environmental regulations.
If confirmed to the post, Wright will also serve on a newly formed “Council of National Energy” led by Burgum.
Wright appeared before the Senate’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee last week.
EPA director: Lee Zeldin
Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) went before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last week in his effort to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.
In nominating Zeldin, the president promised that his pick will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards.”
United Nations ambassador: Elise Stefanik
Trump’s pick to represent the U.S. in the United Nations is Elise Stefanik, an outspoken Trump ally and defender of Israel who went before senators in the Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
Senate Democrats appeared ahead of the hearing to be warming up to the nominee despite concerns about how the new administration views the international organization, after Trump moved on Day One to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate agreement.
Veterans Affairs secretary: Doug Collins
Former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, overseeing the body tasked with providing health care and other benefits to former members of the military.
A vocal Trump ally and defender, Collins served as counsel for Trump after the 2020 presidential election, as Trump questioned Georgia’s election results. He appeared before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on Tuesday.
Agriculture secretary: Brooke Rollins
Brooke Rollins, a former White House aide in Trump’s first administration, is set to appear Thursday before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
Nominated/nothing scheduled yet
Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard
Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) is Trump’s controversial pick to lead the U.S. intelligence community, and her process through the Senate has faced delays as Democrats say they don’t have the full slate of background checks and other paperwork needed to move forward.
The former Democrat’s path to confirmation could be in trouble over her past support for Edward Snowden, a meeting with now-deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and other controversial comments about Ukraine and Russia.
Health and Human Services secretary: RFK Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ran an independent bid for president in 2024 before endorsing Trump, is on tap to helm the Health and Human Services Department.
But the vaccine skeptic has faced pushback from public health experts as senators ready to review the nomination.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) told the USA Today network that the paperwork to get the hearings underway could come together as soon as Tuesday, while Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) told Bloomberg Government that scheduling before the end of the month is unlikely.
Commerce Secretary: Howard Lutnick
Howard Lutnick, chair and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, is Trump’s pick for Commerce Secretary. Lutnick’s hearing has also reportedly been held up my paperwork delays.
Education Secretary: Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term, and she’s his pick for Education secretary in his second tenure. She’s chair of the board at America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, and served on his transition team. Politico reported earlier this month that McMahon’s hearing was waiting on paperwork delays.
Labor Secretary: Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), who flipped her Oregon district in the midterms but lost reelection in November, is Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department. Her nomination was taken by some as a signal that Trump’s second administration could have a more receptive stance to unions.
Trade Rep: Jamieson Greer
Jamieson Greer, an aide in the trade office during Trump’s first term, has been nominated as U.S. trade representative. The president has said Greer “played a key role” with tariffs and other moves in his first term.
SBA: Kelly Loeffler
Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) would serve as administrator of Trump’s second-term Small Business Administration. She was previously rumored to be Trump’s pick for secretary of Agriculture before the role went to Rollins.
