U.S. Senate committees having a busy Wednesday as six of President-elect Donald Trump's nominees face questioning. The hearings come one day after Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon Pete Hegseth went before the Armed Services Committee.
Here is who is facing questioning on Wednesday:
- Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi
- Secretary of Energy nominee Chris Wright
- Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio
- Secretary of Transportation nominee Sean Duffy
- Director of the Central Intelligence Agency nominee John Ratcliffe
- Director of the Office of Management and Budget nominee Russell Vought
Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump's pick to lead Homeland Security, had her hearing postponed to Friday as officials finish up their background check.
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Bondi was Florida's attorney general from 2011 to 2019. During her tenure, she brought or participated in lawsuits to overturn the Affordable Care Act.
Bondi was also a defense lawyer for Trump during his first impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate and has worked at the conservative nonprofit America First Policy Institute.
Bondi's nomination followed former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrawing from consideration for the position.
Her nomination is being closely watched as she faced questions over comments made by Trump on using the Department of Justice to prosecute former political rivals and lawmakers who investigated the January 6 insurrection.
"I will fight every day to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components. The partisanship, the weaponization will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all," she said.
Bondi told lawmakers she would consider recommending pardons for those convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6 insurrection on a case-by-case basis.
"If confirmed and if asked to advise the president, I will look at each and every file but let me be very clear in speaking to you. I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country," she said.
She will also likely face questions involving immigration and how far the Department of Justice is willing to go to arrest migrants who do not have legal status in the U.S.
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Rubio faced questions on whether the U.S. will continue to back Ukraine, and how the Trump administration will deal with adversaries such as China, Russia and North Korea. He told lawmakers that in order to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, the U.S., Russia and Ukraine would all have to make concessions.
"It's also important that there be some balance on both sides. In essence, it will be difficult to achieve this objective of a ceasefire and ultimately a peace settlement, unless both sides have leverage," he said.
Although Rubio has been a vocal supporter of Trump in recent years, that wasn’t always the case. The two frequently sparred while competing for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
However, they seemed to mend fences once Trump secured the nomination and the presidency. Rubio was also on Trump’s shortlist for a running mate in 2024, though Trump ultimately chose Senator J.D. Vance.
Unlike Hegseth, who faced questions over past controversies and qualifications, Democrats have largely not questioned Rubio's or Bondi's qualifications. Instead, questions have been more policy-focused.
Final confirmation votes require only a simple majority, so Republicans don't need Democrats if they remain united. But dissenters can use the hearings to delay the process and emphasize their concerns.
