Here’s what we’re watching in transition world today:
🗓️ What we’re watching
- Six of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees will face Senate panels today on their path to potential confirmation. Attorney General-designate Pam Bondi is up first, and her confirmation is looking likely, as many Democrats have softened their opinion of her since she served as Trump’s personal attorney in 2020.
- At 10 a.m., Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, Transportation secretary pick Sean Duffy, CIA director choice John Ratcliffe and Energy secretary pick Chris Wright will appear before Senate committees. At 1 p.m., Russell Vought, Trump’s pick for OMB director, will have his hearing.
- Defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth faced a grueling confirmation hearing Tuesday, which might be good news for another one of Trump’s controversial picks, Tulsi Gabbard, Jonathan Martin writes this morning.
- U.S. national security agencies are warning that Trump’s inauguration will be “an attractive potential target” for violent extremists.
👀 What’s Trump up to?
- On Tuesday, and following similar comments from Steve Bannon at a POLITICO event, Trump said he will create a new agency called the External Revenue Service to collect tariffs and other forms of revenue that come from foreign sources.
🚨What’s up with the nominees?
- Hegseth got the nod of support from key GOP Sen. Joni Ernst.
- Secretary of Commerce-designate Howard Lutnick’s confirmation hearing is being delayed by paperwork.
📝ICYMI: Here are Trump’s latest administration picks
- Trump announced Keith Sonderling as his pick to be deputy Labor secretary.
- Ross Worthington is expected to be Trump’s head speechwriter in the White House, Sophia Cai and Dasha Burns reported Tuesday.
