By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — It was a busy weekend for the Trump administration, as more top cabinet members were officially sworn in.
Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem were confirmed less than 24 hours into the weekend. They join a growing list of cabinet secretaries including Marco Rubio and John Ratcliffe.
After a nomination process filled with allegations and accusations, on Friday, Pete Hegseth cleared one final hurdle. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm the Defense Secretary.
Secretary Hegseth said Monday he’s hitting the ground running as the administration takes aim at DEI in the military. President Trump is expected to sign an executive order barring transgender people from military service.
“We’re in capable hands. The war fighters are ready to go,” said Secretary Hegseth. “Removing DEA from inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of COVID mandates, Iron Dome for America. This is happening quickly.”
Saturday morning, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kirsti Noem, was confirmed by the Senate with bipartisan support, 59-34.
“Kristi Noem just got approved. She’s a tough one,” said President Trump over the weekend.
“I look forward to working with the DHS workforce to advance our essential missions from enforcing immigration laws, securing our border, and safeguarding US cyber infrastructure to protecting America’s leaders and deterring terrorism,” read part of a statement from Noem to DHS employees after she was sworn in.
Monday evening, the Senate will vote on Secretary of the Treasury nominee, Scott Bessent.
The 62-year-old is the founder of Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group. Bessent would be the first Senate-confirmed openly gay cabinet member of a Republican administration.
Other high-profile candidates, including Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are scheduled for confirmation hearings this week. Some experts believe Gabbard’s path to serve as Director of National Intelligence is getting narrower.
“There’s a number of Democrats who’ve come out against her and a lot of Republicans who have really not softened their stance, and they have a lot of concerns regarding her foreign policy credentials and some of her positions she’s taken,” said Dr. Todd Belt, Professor and Director of the Political Management Master’s Program at George Washington University.
On Tuesday, a confirmation vote for Secretary of Transportation nominee, Sean Duffy, is scheduled.
The first confirmation hearing for HHS nominee, RFK Jr., is scheduled for Wednesday in the Senate Committee on Finance. On Thursday, Tulsi Gabbard is scheduled for a confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
