The place Trump’s Cupboard nominees stand in Senate affirmation course of

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel testified earlier than Senate committees on Capitol Hill Thursday as urgency builds to verify President Donald Trump’s Cupboard nominations. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Well being and Human Providers (HHS), confronted his second day of questioning on the Hill earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling Labor & Pensions on Thursday. Kennedy clashed with Democratic senators over abortion and vaccines on Wednesday earlier than the Senate Finance Committee, which can vote on his affirmation. 

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Trump’s nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, appeared earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday as Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee for nationwide intelligence director, appeared earlier than the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

Tulsi Gabbard arrives to testify throughout her affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Intelligence Committee on Jan. 30, 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photos)

Additionally on Thursday, Trump’s nominee for Military secretary, Daniel Driscoll, the comparatively unknown soldier and former advisor to Vice President JD Vance, fielded questions from the Senate Armed Providers Committee. 

As soon as nominees have testified earlier than related Senate committees, that panel votes on whether or not to advocate the nominee earlier than the complete Senate. Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D., can then file a movement to finish Senate flooring debate on the nominee, triggering a cloture vote to halt deliberations. As soon as debate closes, senators make last affirmation votes. 

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For affirmation, a nominee wants a majority within the Senate, or 51 votes. Vice President JD Vance can settle a tie vote, as was the case with Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth’s affirmation. 

Rep. Elise Stefanik, nominated to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, arrives for a Senate Overseas Relations Committee affirmation listening to on Jan. 21, 2025. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos)

Elise Stefanik, nominee for United Nations ambassador, testified earlier than the Overseas Relations Committee final week, and the committee voted to advance her nomination to the Senate flooring on Thursday. 

Stefanik joins Trump’s nominees for director of Workplace of Administration and Funds (OMB) Russ Vought, secretary for Division of Housing and City Growth Scott Turner, and lawyer common, Pam Bondi, amongst those that have been voted out of committee and await a vote on the Senate flooring. 

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Agriculture Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins, nominee for Commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, and nominee for Small Enterprise administrator, Kelly Loeffler, have testified however await scheduling for Senate committee votes. Kennedy additionally awaits a vote by the Finance Committee as he testifies earlier than the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling Labor and Pensions Thursday. 

President Donald Trump and Sen. Kelly Loeffler attend a marketing campaign rally on Jan. 4, 2021, in Dalton, Georgia. (Alex Wong/Getty Photos)

Thune moved to finish Senate deliberations for Vitality Secretary nominee Chris Wright and Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Each nominees await a procedural vote on the Senate flooring forward of the affirmation vote. 

Trump’s nominee for Inside secretary, Doug Burgum, handed the cloture vote on Wednesday and awaits his affirmation vote on the Senate flooring. 

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As of Thursday, the U.S. Senate has confirmed seven of Trump’s Cupboard nominations, together with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Safety Secretary Krisit Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Environmental Safety Company Administration Lee Zeldin.