Bill Hagerty

Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth will publicly face senators for the first time Tuesday after weeks of privately pushing back on criticism over his qualifications and personal past.Hegseth, a 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News Channel weekend host, has faced strong criticism from Democrats over his thin resume compared to previous defense secretaries, along with allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and mismanagement of veterans organization finances — all of which he denies.Many Republicans have been vocally supportive of Hegseth’s nomination, but others have remained noncommittal as the reports surfaced about his past behavior.President-elect Donald Trump has remained strongly supportive of Hegseth, who has worked to win favor with Senate Republicans in one-on-one meetings over the last month.Trump posted on social media in December that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!”Here’s what to watch as Hegseth’s hearing gets underway on Tuesday morning:How he would run the departmentRepublicans have said they view Hegseth’s combat experience as an asset, but Democrats say they are deeply concerned that he is largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage.The PentagonThe Defense Department has a budget exceeding $800 billion, with about 1.3 million active-duty troops and another 1.4 million in the National Guard and Reserves and civilian employees based worldwide. Hegseth would face a daunting array of global crises, from the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and the expanding alliance between Russia and North Korea to the growing competition with China.Look for Democrats to question Hegseth on the specifics of how he would manage the huge department — and how he would represent the United States in diplomatic situations around the world.“We need a serious candidate, one that is capable of doing this job,” said Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat on the committee.Republicans say his resume is an advantage over traditional Pentagon leaders and praise him for wanting to overhaul the department.“While maybe not the credentials that have traditionally been on the resume of nominees for secretary of defense, I think that he brings plenty and he brings some things that some of those more traditional nominees didn’t bring,” said North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican member of the panel. “He’ll be disruptive in a good way.”Women in combatHegseth said as recently as last year that women “straight up” should not serve in combat roles. So attention will be on the two female Iraq War veterans on the committee — Republican Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, who lost both legs when a Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.Sen. Tammy DuckworthDuckworth said ahead of the hearing that she will question Hegseth on whether he will try and reduce the role of women in combat and how he would do so. How would it affect recruiting? Would men be deployed more often as a result? “We can’t go to war without them,” she said.Ernst has met with Hegseth twice after saying she wants to hear more about his views. She has not yet said if she will support him.Hegseth said on "The Megyn Kelly Show” in December that “if we have the right standard and women meet that standard, roger. Let’s go.”Allegations of sexual assaultHegseth has been fighting back against allegations of excessive drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies.Sen. Joni ErnstDemocrats are expected to demand an explanation from Hegseth. In a letter to him last week, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is on the Armed Services panel, questioned if Hegseth would be able to lead, saying she was “deeply concerned by the many ways in which your past behavior and rhetoric indicates that you are unfit."Republican Sen. Ernst, who is a survivor of sexual assault, said her second meeting with Hegseth had “ encouraging conversations.” She said Hegseth committed “to completing a full audit of the Pentagon” and to hiring a senior official who will “prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks.”Many Republicans have rallied around Hegseth, with some appearing to question if the reports are true. Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty said last month that it is a “shame” that something that has been previously investigated “is back to some he said, she said thing.”Will he have the votes?Hegseth is likely to have near-unanimous Republican support on the committee and potentially in the full Senate. But it could depend on how effectively he is able to defend himself, and his point of view, in the hearing. He can only lose four Republican votes in the 53-47 Senate if all Democrats vote against his confirmation, as Vice President-elect JD Vance could cast a tie-breaking vote.South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican member of the Armed Services panel, said Hegseth has been straightforward with Republican senators that he knows he will have to address some of the allegations against him.“I think he will,” Rounds said, “and at the same time, we’ll give him ample opportunity to talk about what he believes his role would be as a secretary, and the vision that he has for the department.”Rounds said he expects to support Hegseth, unless anything changes. “I think the president gets the benefit of the doubt in his nominees,” he said.Campaign Action

Defense secretary nominee will publicly face senators for the first time after weeks of privately pushing back on criticism

President-elect Trump was sentenced for falsifying records just 10 days before he is set to take office.

Sen. Eric Schmitt is tackling the administrative state by debuting key legislation in the newly Republican-controlled Congress.

A proposed FDA rule could effectively ban cigarettes currently on the market in favor of products with less nicotine. Cartels running the black market could benefit, an expert warns.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville is leading the reintroduction of his bill on transgender athletes now that Republicans are in control of the Senate.

Republican members of Congress took to the Sunday shows to praise Trump lieutenant Elon Musk's involvement in last week's government funding saga, with one likening him to "our prime minister."Why it matters: The tech billionaire's influence is being fueled by threats to fund electoral challenges against those who defy him, creating a powerful incentive for Republicans to go along with his demands.Democrats have harshly criticized Musk for lambasting and ultimately helping to kill a bipartisan government funding deal they struck with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) last week.Musk also threatened to fund "moderate" primary challenges against Democrats in solidly blue districts.What they're saying: "It's kind of interesting, we have a president, we have a vice president, we have a speaker. It feels like Elon Musk is our prime minister," Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) said in a CBS "Face the Nation" hit.Gonzales said he spoke with Musk "a couple times this week," adding that "many of us" did so while acknowledging the Tesla CEO is "unelected."Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on Fox Business' "Sunday Morning Futures" that his idea to elect Musk as House speaker "might have been tongue-in-cheek," but, "I do appreciate his input.""Thank god Elon Musk bought Twitter, because that's the only way we would even know what's in this bill," Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) said of Musk's efforts to kill the bipartisan bill on CNN's "State of the Union."Yes, but: Hagerty pushed back on Democrats' assertions that Musk is pulling Trump's strings, saying Trump is "clearly the leader" of the Republican Party.Musk's influence "doesn't bother me a bit," Haggerty said, adding he is "appreciative of the fact that President Trump has that type of talent available to advise him."The other side: Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said on "State of the Union" that he is "concerned" about what Musk's role "is going to mean."Coons, like other Democrats, noted that the revised version of the spending bill excluded restrictions on outbound investment to China that were part of the original bill Musk harangued."Given that Tesla has a major new factory in Shanghai, that may actually benefit Elon Musk's business," Coons alleged.Go deeper: Musk barrages GOP to blow up "criminal" spending deal

Democrats are increasingly calling into question the level of influence Elon Musk has over President-elect Donald Trump’s decision-making.Some lawmakers said Sunday they believe the chaos reflects a lack of unity in the Republican party, while others praised Musk for bringing a level of transparency to the American public.As Congress regroups following another averted government shutdown, Democratic lawmakers are increasingly calling into question the level of influence Elon Musk has over President-elect Donald Trump as the latter prepares to enter the White House in just a few weeks.Last week, Trump – with help from Musk – effectively killed a 1,500-page bipartisan funding legislation drafted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R.-La., to fund the government beyond Friday. Following 11th-hour negotiations, Congress and President Joe Biden eventually passed a bill in the early hours of Saturday morning.But Musk has come under fire from some Democrats claiming his tweets interfered with the legislative process. With more than 208 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, Musk voiced his opposition to the bill in several dozens of posts.“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted Wednesday afternoon.His comments led some critics of Trump to point out that Musk seems to be calling the shots, mockingly calling him “President Musk.” In response, Musk tried to downplay those claims, and a Trump spokesperson issued a statement saying, “President Trump is the leader of the Republican party. Full stop.”Still, some lawmakers think otherwise. House Democrats Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut said their Republican colleagues caved to Musk’s demands, which they argue were driven by his interest in maintaining good relations with China.In response, Congressman French Hill, R-Ark., said Sunday morning on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he doesn’t “believe that was at the heart of the 1,500-page problem” and emphasized the need for the Republican party to work together because of the narrow majority.Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts also slammed Musk for his role in the legislative process, posting, “Last time I checked, nobody voted for the richest man in the world to run the federal government.”Lawmakers respond to power dynamicsIn an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Republican Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty praised Musk’s ability to “bring transparency” to the proposed bill through posting on X, adding that his office was inundated with calls from constituents after Musk posted about the contents of the bill.“Thank God Elon Musk bought Twitter, because that’s the only way we would even know what’s in this bill. Otherwise, the conspiracy between the government and Twitter would have continued, and this would have all been covered up,” Hagerty said.When asked about the power balance between Trump and Musk, Hagerty said Trump is “clearly the leader.”Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday that he believes Musk reflects the voice of the American people.“It’s kind of interesting. We have a president, we have a vice president, we have a speaker. It feels like Elon Musk is our prime minister,” Gonzales said, emphasizing the need for Republicans to stay united as Trump prepares to enter office.That sentiment was echoed by Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the chaos of last week is a “predictor of what’s likely to happen” again in March, when the deal expires and Congress returns to the negotiation table.He also highlighted the lack of unity among Republicans in the negotiations last week, saying he believes it will be difficult for the party to pass much of Trump’s agenda once he takes office. “We’re not just going to have President-elect Trump as a billionaire rage tweeting at 4 a.m. – we’re going to have Elon Musk also injecting instability into how we tackle very complicated and important issues for our country,” Coons said.

Congress is allocating more than $100 billion in emergency aid to address extensive damage caused by hurricane and other disasters. The money is in a bill passed early Saturday by Congress after this week’s scramble to find consensus on a...

Texas' General Land Office is pushing for action on what it says is a "shameful" disposal of border wall materials by the federal government from a district court.

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. is introducing legislation to stop the federal government from auctioning border wall materials at the southern border.

Lawmakers are rebranding their deficit reduction efforts as a “Department of Government Efficiency,” but many are clueless about the new brand.

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s drive to upend the FBI was welcomed by Republican senators although it was not clear on Sunday how strongly members of the incoming majority party would embrace his move to install ally Kash Patel as the next director of the Justice Department’s top investigative arm.

Congress returns with a full plate for December, as well as plenty of announced nominees to begin vetting for the incoming Trump administration.

Trump advisors reportedly recommended in a memo to the transition team that private firms, rather than the FBI, conduct background checks for his nominees.

Some of President-elect Trump's Cabinet and White House picks have garnered a cacophony of criticism.But while plenty of controversial picks remain, some Democrats have expressed leniency — even excitement — to cross the aisle and vote in favor of some of them. Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, November 24.1. Duckworth could "absolutely" support some Trump nominees Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) speaks during a Nov. 24 interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation."Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has reservations about several Trump appointees — but she said Sunday there are others she could ultimately support.The big picture: Democrats have slammed some Trump picks for their lack of experience, apparent conflicts of interest or other past controversies. With a slim GOP Senate majority, it's possible that all of Trump's picks don't make it through confirmation so convincing Democrats to vote for the nominees is all the more important. State of play: Still, there are some candidates — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as Secretary of State, for one — who have an easier path to Senate confirmation via bipartisan support.Duckworth characterized her relationship with Rubio as one of the "strange alliances" that forms on the Hill in an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union" Sunday.She continued: "We have a friendship; we've served together. I look forward to talking to him, to see what he's going to do and what his policies will be."Speaking to CBS News' Margaret Brennan, Duckworth said she could "absolutely" see herself supporting Trump's pro-union labor secretary pick, Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), and others — after evaluating whether they are "willing to be independent and do the job that they are being nominated to do."She also named former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Trump's pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, as someone she could "talk with," saying she wants to know if he would support a push toward privatizing the VA.Yes, but: Duckworth says other Trump appointees are unfit and unqualified.The congresswoman, a Purple Heart recipient and combat veteran, argued former Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth "does not have the experience to run an organization" the size of the Department of Defense.And she characterized ex-Rep. and veteran Tulsi Gabbard, who Trump intends to nominate as Director of National Intelligence, as "potentially compromised" and "wholly backing and supportive of Putin," pointing to Gabbard's controversial meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and accusations she's parroted Russian propaganda. Zoom out: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said on "Fox News Sunday" he would vote in favor of Rubio. Sen-elect Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he was "strongly inclined" to support Rubio during a "Meet the Press" interview. Fetterman said he's "open to dialogue" with Mehmet Oz — more commonly known as Dr. Oz — who Trump has tapped to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Fetterman bested Oz for his Senate seat in the 2022 midterms. And said Chavez-DeRemer is a "fantastic labor ... nominee."2. We'll take the background check, please Sen. Amy Klobuchar speaks during a Nov. 24 interview on ABC's "This Week."Several senators across the political spectrum agree: Trump's appointees should be subject to FBI background checks. Driving the news: But the president-elect's transition team has yet to sign agreements with the White House and Justice Department, delaying the routine FBI screenings. The team has opted instead to use private companies to vet potential candidates, CNN reported. If the Trump transition team doesn't sign the agreements, the Senate could potentially vote on the president-elect's chosen Cabinet without traditional background checks — a dilemma further deepened by concerns over the controversial pasts of appointees.For those who need a security clearance, a background check is required, the AP notes. At least until Jan. 20, 2025, when Trump could order the necessary clearance to be issued.What they're saying: "We require these background checks of ... drug enforcement agents. We require [them] of first-time prosecutors for the federal government. Why wouldn't we get these background checks for the most important job in the United States government?" Sen. Amy Klobuchar, (D-Minn.) asked on ABC's "This Week" Sunday.While Klobuchar noted the background checks and confirmation hearings could be done concurrently, she warned background check delays could lead to a slower confirmation process."I don't want to have a delay — I want to have the hearings. I want to make a decision on each one of them on the merits as I've done in the past, and I can't do that without the background checks," she said.The other side: Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) downplayed the calls for background checks when speaking to ABC's Jon Karl Sunday, saying, "I don't think the American public cares who does the background checks."But when pressed, he added, "I've been through confirmation as well. They need to do these checks expeditiously."The big picture: While Trump and close allies are at times distrustful of the FBI, several other Republicans have still called for the agency to conduct background checks of the president-elect's picks.Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill that a private firm could "supplement" an FBI investigation, but "the FBI does have access to information that probably a private firm wouldn't have, even a really good savvy one."3. MTG floats defunding NPR to cut government waste Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) speaks to Fox News' Maria Bartiromo during a Nov. 24 interview.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) already has ideas for how the federal government can cut some of its debt — defunding NPR and other government-funded media.Driving the news: Defunding NPR was suggested throughout President-elect Trump's first term, and resurrected last week by Elon Musk.What they're saying: Greene told Fox News' Maria Bartiromo that a new subcommittee working in support of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will look at cutting "everything from government-funded media programs like NPR that spread nothing but Democrat propaganda" and grant programs that "don't help the American people."Greene, who was stripped of her committee appointments in 2021, is the chair of the Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee, which falls within the purview of the House Oversight Committee. "We are going to be searching for the facts, we're going to be verifying if this is worth spending the American people's hard-earned tax dollars," she said.Yes, but: Trump included cutting CPB's funding in budget proposals throughout his first term, none of which came to pass. Several congressional bills seeking to eliminate or drastically cut funding also failed. Reality check: DOGE isn't an official government department and must rely on Congress to take action on proposed funding cuts.More from Axios' Sunday coverage:Trump should fire DOJ workers involved with his cases, GOP senator saysTrump's mass deportation plan could clog immigration courts for yearsThe Resistance goes quiet

One Democratic senator said she needs to see the background checks on Trump's incoming Cabinet selections.

Republicans are signaling a quick confirmation process for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet in 2025.

President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time before settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his treasury secretary nominee.

President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary.

The jockeying for President-elect Trump’s pick to run the all-important Treasury Department is coming down to the wire. Trump’s economic team will be tasked with imposing an aggressive tariff regime meant to shake up global trade while keeping financial markets calm amid the disruption. To lead that team, the president-elect is said to be struggling [...]

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

How many? And how fast? That’s the question for the Senate in January as it will sprint to confirm as many of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees as possible.

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

Screenshot: Fox News (Hat tip: Angrej Singh) President-elect Trump is looking more seriously at Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) for Treasury secretary — giving Trump three serious options for one of the few roles where he's taking his time, transition sources tell me.Hagerty, a former private-equity investor who was Trump's ambassador to Japan, is one of three apparent finalists, along with former Fed governor Kevin Warsh and Apollo CEO Marc Rowan.Why it matters: Hagerty, 65, has credibility with Wall Street leaders, the markets, foreign leaders and Congress. And he owes his political career to Trump."Respected, loyal and great on TV — the total Trump package," a top Republican source said.State of play: I'm told Trump enjoyed spending time with Hagerty at Mar-a-Lago this week. The senator was with Trump and Elon Musk in South Texas Tuesday as SpaceX launched a Starship rocket.Trump will meet Warsh and Rowan at Mar-a-Lago this week.Zoom out: Howard Lutnick, Trump's transition co-chair, wanted Treasury but yesterday was named Commerce Secretary.Scott Bessent, a hedge-fund manager who was another finalist for Treasury, looks to be in a derby for the consolation prize of director of Trump's National Economic Council.Another top candidate is Robert Lighthizer, who was U.S. trade representative in Trump's first term.Go deeper: Trump builds his "central casting" Cabinet

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota insisted to Republican senators he intends to carry out Trump's agenda and support him as the Senate leader.

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

For Congress, it’s a potentially existential moment, one that is testing if its status as a co-equal branch of government can withstand a second Trump presidency.

Trump is expected to make Matt Gaetz his attorney general and Marco Rubio his secretary of state, and place Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller in key posts.

'Ten GOP members have endorsed a candidate so far'

Trump is expected to make Marco Rubio his secretary of state, make Kristi Noem his secretary of homeland security, and name Stephen Miller and Mike Waltz to key White House posts.

The Florida lawmaker wants to be Senate majority leader, but guns rights advocates are lobbying against him, as they dislike his support for the state's gun control legislation enacted after the Parkland school shooting. Senators are to vote Wednesday on a new leader in a secret ballot.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has said he has visited Israel more than 100 times over the course of five decades.

Trump is expected to make Marco Rubio his secretary of state, make Kristi Noem his secretary of homeland security, and name Stephen Miller and Mike Waltz to key White House posts.

It remains to be seen whether the high-profile endorsements Rick Scott has received from external figures will influence the Senate GOP's secret ballot leader race.

Trump is expected to make Marco Rubio his secretary of state, name Stephen Miller and Mike Waltz to key White House posts, and appoint Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA.

President-elect Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida were once political rivals.

Trump is expected to name his former immigration adviser Stephen Miller and Rep. Mike Waltz to key White House posts, and former lawmaker Lee Zeldin will lead the EPA.

Senate Minority Whip earned another endorsement in his bid to succeed Mitch McConnell as Republican leader.

President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, R-Ohio, and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance, celebrate during the balloon drop in Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum at the Republican National Convention on July 18. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

President-elect Trump will appoint Cabinet members to serve alongside him over the next four years, and several candidates are being floated for the top positions.

The Republican Party is now more primed to back former President Trump if he contests the results of the 2024 election than it was four years ago, when his efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory fell flat in courts and Congress. Trump’s unwavering claims about the nation’s election system being “rigged” have steadily gained more acceptance [...]

Senate Banking ranking member Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., right, could take the committee's top job of Republicans win the chamber. Senate Banking Chairman Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, left, is in a close race whose outcome could set the stage for a new top Democrat.

The lie intimidates legitimate voters and sets the stage for Trump to deny the results of the presidential election.