For the second day in a row, the US Senate is considering nominees for key positions in President-elect Donald Trump’s government, questioning the nominees about their backgrounds and qualifications.
Wednesday was a busy day for the Senate, as it held hearings for six of Trump’s nominees, including senior senators like Sen. Marco Rubio — his pick for secretary of state — and Pam Bondi, his nominee for attorney general.
The hearings come as Republican leaders in Congress hope to give Trump a strong start to his second term, which begins on Monday.
High-level cabinet positions require Senate approval, and Republicans hold 53 seats compared to 45 for Democrats.
However, controversial candidates will need all the votes possible to succeed in being appointed. For example, Wednesday’s hearings were preceded by fiery proceedings the day before, as senators pressed Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary, over allegations of heavy drinking and sexual assault.
Here are some key points from Wednesday’s testimony before the Senate.
Rubio flashes a hard line
During his testimony, Rubio, the US Senator from Florida, pledged to put US interests “above anything and everything else” if he is appointed Secretary of State.
Rubio also showed his streaks as a foreign policy hawk, condemning China as the “biggest threat” the United States faces in the 21st century.
“If we do not change course, we will live in a world where much of what matters to us on a daily basis — from our security to our health — will depend on whether the Chinese let us have it or not.” Rubio said.
He added that China “oppressed, lied, deceived, infiltrated and stole.” [its] The path to global superpower status.”
Wednesday’s comments were consistent with Rubio’s record of taking a hostile approach toward American rivals.
However, he praised US alliances such as NATO, a contrast to the more aggressive stance taken by Trump himself.
“NATO is a very important alliance. I think so,” he said.
“Without NATO, there would be no end to the Cold War. Indeed, without NATO, much of what we know today as Europe would have fallen victim to aggression.”
But he echoed Trump’s position that other NATO allies “need to contribute more to their own defense” and rely less on American support.
Ratcliffe pledges no political bias
In a separate hearing, John Ratcliffe, Trump’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), assured lawmakers that he would not persecute members of the intelligence community for being insufficiently loyal to Trump.
“We will produce insightful and objective analysis from all sources, and will never allow political or personal biases to cloud our judgment or infect our productions,” Ratcliffe said of his goals as CIA director.
Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor, previously served as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during Trump’s first term in office, from 2017 to 2021.
Like Rubio, Ratcliffe is expected to navigate the confirmation process. But senators expressed concern that Trump’s picks for high-level law enforcement positions might seek to use their powers to achieve political goals.
Ratcliffe had previously pledged to “purge corrupt actors from our national security and intelligence agencies.”
On Wednesday, he faced direct questions about whether the process would get rid of employees based on political preference.
“Will you or any of your staff impose a political test on CIA employees?” asked Senator Angus King.
“No,” Ratcliffe replied. He insisted that sacking employees for their opinions is “something I would never do.”
Bundy evades Smith’s probe’s questions
Trump’s pick for attorney general is expected to be among the most controversial, given the president-elect’s long history of statements insisting he would prosecute his political rivals during his second term in office.
This is what put Bondi under the microscope during the Senate hearing on Wednesday.
She tried to allay these fears with some of her statements, stressing that “politics must be removed from this system.”
“No one should be prosecuted for political reasons,” she added. As head of the Department of Justice, she will be the federal government’s top prosecutor.
But when pressed on whether she would open investigations into specific figures such as former special counsel Jack Smith, Bondi declined to provide clear answers.
“It would be irresponsible for me to make a commitment on anything,” she said when asked about Smith, who led criminal indictments against Trump.
Bondi has previously echoed Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen through widespread fraud and voting irregularities.
She said on Wednesday that she would evaluate potential pardons for people who participated in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, on a “case-by-case” basis.
Duffy to pursue accountability from Boeing
In relatively calm testimony, Sean Duffy, Trump’s pick for transportation secretary, said he would look for a way to make electric cars pay for road maintenance funded largely by gasoline taxes.
He also stressed that Boeing, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the United States, needs “tough love” to meet adequate safety standards.
“I think we have to make sure they implement their safety plan,” Duffy said, adding that the airline needs to “restore global trust” in its brand.
The comments come as Boeing faces continued scrutiny in the wake of air safety incidents in 2024, as well as accusations of fraud.
“We have to pay [Federal Aviation Administration] “To make sure they implement their safety plan,” said Duffy, a former lobbyist, television personality and U.S. House member.