Key takeaways as Trump nominees face US Senate confirmation hearings | News about Donald Trump

For the second day in a row, the United States Senate is weighing candidates for key positions under President-elect Donald Trump cabinetgrilling candidates according to their experience and qualifications.

Wednesday was a busy day for the Senate as it held hearings on six of Trump's nominees, including heavy hitters such as Sen. Marco Rubio — his pick for secretary of state — and Pam Bondi, tapped for attorney general.

The hearings come as Republican leaders in Congress hope to give Trump a strong start to his second term, which begins Monday.

Senior cabinet positions need Senate approval, and Republicans hold 53 seats to Democrats' 45.

Still, the controversial candidates will need all the votes they can get to succeed in their appointment. Wednesday's hearings, for example, were preceded by heated proceedings a day earlier when senators pressed Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary, over allegations of heavy drinking and sexual assault.

Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday's Senate testimony.

Rubio flashes a hawkish streak

During his testimony, Rubioa US senator from Florida, pledged to put US interests “above all else” if appointed secretary of state.

Rubio also shined as a foreign policy hawk, denouncing China as the “biggest threat” the US faces in the 21st century.

“If we don't change course, we're going to live in a world where much of what's important to us every day — from our security to our health — will depend on whether or not the Chinese allow us to have it,” Rubio said.

He added that China had “oppressed, lied, cheated, hacked and stolen (its) way to world superpower status.”

Wednesday's remarks were in line with Rubio's attempt to take an adversarial approach to America's perceived rivals.

Still, he praised U.S. alliances like NATO, offering a counterpoint to Trump's own more aggressive stance.

“NATO is a very important alliance. I believe that,” he said.

“Without NATO, there is no end to the Cold War. Indeed, without NATO, it is quite possible that much of what we know today as Europe would have fallen victim to aggression.

But he echoed Trump's position that other NATO allies “need to contribute more to their own defense” and rely less on US support.

Ratcliffe promises no political bias

In a separate meeting, John RatcliffeTrump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has assured lawmakers that he will not prosecute members of the intelligence community for insufficient loyalty to Trump.

“We will produce insightful, objective analysis from all sources, never allowing political or personal bias to cloud our judgment or contaminate our products,” Ratcliffe said of his goals as CIA director.

A former federal prosecutor, Ratcliffe previously served as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during Trump's first term, from 2017 to 2021.

Like Rubio, Ratcliffe is expected to go through the confirmation process. But senators have expressed concern that Trump's picks for top law enforcement roles may seek to use their powers for political ends.

Ratcliffe previously promised to “clean up corrupt actors in our national security and intelligence apparatus.”

On Wednesday, he faced a direct question about whether that process would weed out officials based on political preferences.

“Will you or any of your staff impose a political litmus test on CIA officers?” Senator Angus King asked.

“No,” answered Ratcliffe. He insisted that removing employees because of their views was “something I would never do”.

Bondi dodges questions from Smith's probe

Trump's pick for attorney general is expected to be among the most contested, given the president-elect's long history of statements insisting he would pursue political rivals during his second term in office.

This puts Bondi under the microscope during her Senate hearing on Wednesday.

She tried to allay those concerns with some statements of her own, insisting that “politics must be taken out of this system.”

“No one should be persecuted for political purposes,” she added. As head of the Department of Justice, she would be the federal government's attorney general.

But when pressed on whether she would launch an investigation into specific figures such as the former special prosecutor Jack SmithBondi refused to give straight answers.

“It would be irresponsible of me to commit to anything,” she said when asked about Smith, who has filed two criminal charges against Trump.

Bondi has previously repeated Trump's false claims that the 2020 election. were stolen through massive fraud and voting irregularities.

On Wednesday, she said she would evaluate potential pardons for people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol “on a case-by-case basis.”

Duffy will hold Boeing accountable

In relatively tame testimony, Sean Duffy, Trump's pick for transportation secretary, said he would look for a way to make electric vehicles (EVs) pay for road maintenance largely funded by gasoline taxes.

He also claims that Boeinga leading American aircraft manufacturer, needed “tough love” to meet adequate safety standards.

“I think we need to make sure they execute their safety plan,” Duffy said, adding that the aerospace company needs to “restore global trust” in its brand.

The comments come as Boeing faces continued scrutiny following safety-related mid-air incidents in 2024, as well as fraud fees.

“We need to push (the Federal Aviation Administration) to make sure they implement their safety plan,” said Duffy, a former lobbyist, television personality and member of the U.S. House of Representatives.