Tulsi Gabbard arrives to testify during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Jan. 30, 2025. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Also on Thursday, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, Daniel Driscoll, the relatively unknown soldier and former advisor to Vice President JD Vance, fielded questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Once nominees have testified before relevant Senate committees, that panel votes on whether to recommend the nominee before the full Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., can then file a motion to end Senate floor debate on the nominee, triggering a cloture vote to halt deliberations. Once debate closes, senators make final confirmation votes.
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For confirmation, a nominee needs a majority in the Senate, or 51 votes. Vice President JD Vance can settle a tie vote, as was the case with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation.
President Donald Trump and Sen. Kelly Loeffler attend a campaign rally on Jan. 4, 2021, in Dalton, Georgia. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Thune moved to end Senate deliberations for Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright and Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Both nominees await a procedural vote on the Senate floor ahead of the confirmation vote.
Trump’s nominee for Interior secretary, Doug Burgum, passed the cloture vote on Wednesday and awaits his confirmation vote on the Senate floor.
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As of Thursday, the U.S. Senate has confirmed seven of Trump’s Cabinet nominations, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Krisit Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Environmental Protection Agency Administration Lee Zeldin.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/where-trumps-cabinet-nominees-stand-senate-confirmation-process