The Weekly Purge
Confirmation Hearings Begin - Tuesday January 14th 2025
Pete Hegseth sat today in the first of many confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet picks. He went through a single round of questioning from committee members, after Democrats request for at least two rounds was denied by the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Roger Wicker (R) Missouri.
Republicans used the hearing as an opportunity to harp on anti DEI, woke, and LGBTQ MAGA culture war talking points, and throw softball questions at the nominee. Democrats were more substantive, addressing his and his potential future boss Donald Trump’s stances on women and other minorities in the military service, whether he would follow his duty to the Constitution over illegal orders and follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice, include using military forces to invade Greenland or police American streets, and personal issues of alcohaul and sexual abuse allegations. Hegseth was not forthcoming on any of those questions, and would not agree that he would undergo a more indepth FBI background investigation.
Key confirmation hearings schedule this week:
Wednesday 0930 - Kristi Noem nominee Department of Homeland Security - Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Wednesday 0930 - Pam Bondi nominee Attorney General - Senate Judiciary Committee
Wednesday 1000 - Marco Rubio nominee Secretary of State - Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Wednesday 1000 - John Ratcliffe nominee Director CIA - Senate Intelligence Committee
Wednesday 1000 - Sean Duffy nominee Secretary of Transportation - Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
Wednesday 1000 - Chris Wright nominee Secretary of Energy - Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee
Wednesday 1300 - Russell Vought nominee Director Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee
Thursday 1000 - Doug Burgum nominee Secretary of the Interior - Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Thursday 1000 - Lee Zeldin nominee Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency - Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Thursday 1000 - Scott Turner nominee Secretary of Housing and Urban Development - Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee
Thursday 1030 - Scott Bessent nominee Secretary of the Treasury - Senate Finance Committee
Following Weeks:
January 21st - Doug Collins nominee Secretary Department of Veteran Affairs - Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
No other nominees are scheduled at the time of publication.