<a class="post__byline-name-unhyphenated" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/author/joshua-barajas" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person" itemprop="author"> <span itemprop="name">Joshua Barajas</span> </a> <a class="post__byline-name-hyphenated" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/author/joshua-barajas"> Joshua Barajas </a> <br>Leave your feedback<br><em>For more politics coverage and analysis, sign up for Here’s the Deal, our weekly politics newsletter, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/newsletters">here.</a></em><br>The Senate will start the process of confirming (or rejecting) President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks this week, calling them to testify in high-profile hearings.<br>More than a dozen nominees will appear before committees in the Republican-controlled chamber in the days leading up toTrump’s second inauguration. Senators will ask nominees about their backgrounds and qualifications for their possible roles.<br>Some of the names on <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/who-are-trumps-cabinet-picks-heres-every-name-so-far">Trump’s Cabinet list</a> have garnered extra scrutiny ahead of the proceedings. That includes Pete Hegseth, the president-elect’s pick for defense secretary, who has faced <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trumps-defense-secretary-pick-under-spotlight-amid-fresh-concerns-about-his-past">allegations of sexual misconduct</a> and excessive drinking, and been criticized as a nominee for his <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-hegseths-controversial-religious-views-could-affect-military-leadership">controversial views on diversity and religion.</a><br>Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.<br>Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.<br><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="http://Who are Trump’s Cabinet picks? Here’s every name so far">Who are Trump’s Cabinet picks? Here’s every name so far</a><br>PBS News has compiled the following schedule for the first wave of hearings on the Senate calendar. All times listed below are Eastern and are subject to change. We will update the list as proceedings get underway.<br><strong>Pete Hegseth, defense secretary</strong><br /> <iframe title="WATCH LIVE: Pete Hegseth testifies at Senate confirmation hearing for defense secretary" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U2LqUvjWHoY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /> <em>Watch the hearing in the player above.</em><br><strong>9:30 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/7-things-to-know-about-pete-hegseth-trumps-defense-secretary-pick">Pete Hegseth</a>, a military veteran and conservative media personality, appears before the Senate Committee on Armed Services.<br><strong>Kristi Noem, homeland security secretary </strong><br><strong>9 a.m.</strong> — Gov. <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-picks-kristi-noem-for-homeland-security-secretary-heres-what-to-know">Kristi Noem</a>, R-S.D., appears before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.<br><strong>Pam Bondi, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-the-u-s-attorney-general-do">attorney general</a></strong><br><strong>9:30 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/6-things-to-know-about-pam-bondi-trumps-new-pick-for-attorney-general">Pam Bondi</a>, the former attorney general of Florida, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is the first of two hearings the committee has scheduled for Bondi.<br><strong>Marco Rubio, secretary of state</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a one-time presidential hopeful and former Trump critic, appears before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.<br><strong>John Ratcliffe, CIA director</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-picks-john-ratcliffe-for-cia-director-heres-what-to-know">John Ratcliffe</a>, who served as the director of national intelligence in the final year of Trump’s first term, appears before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.<br><strong>Sean Duffy, transportation secretary</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-chooses-former-rep-sean-duffy-for-transportation-secretary">Sean Duffy</a>, a former Wisconsin congressman with a reality TV show background, appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.<br><strong>Chris Wright, energy secretary</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-names-chris-wright-fossil-fuel-ceo-and-campaign-donor-as-energy-secretary">Chris Wright</a>, a businessman and donor, appears before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.<br><strong>Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget director</strong><br><strong>1 p.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-picks-project-2025-architect-russell-vought-to-return-as-top-budget-official">Russell Vought</a>, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-names-project-2025-architect-russell-vought-to-key-white-house-role">a Project 2024 co-author</a> who briefly led OMB at the end of Trump’s first term, appears before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.<br><strong>Doug Burgum, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-does-the-interior-secretary-do">interior secretary</a></strong><br /> <iframe title="WATCH LIVE: Doug Collins testifies at Senate confirmation hearing for VA secretary" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FYxtovXDOBk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /> <em>Watch the hearing in the player above.</em><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-picks-north-dakota-gov-burgum-to-run-interior-dept-and-new-energy-council">Doug Burgum</a>, a former corporate executive and governor of North Dakota who championed oil and gas drilling, appears before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.<br><strong>Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency administrator</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-taps-lee-zeldin-to-lead-epa">Lee Zeldin</a>, a former New York congressman, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.<br><strong>Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development secretary</strong><br><strong>10 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-chooses-scott-turner-to-lead-hud-and-rep-lori-chavez-deremer-as-labor-secretary">Scott Turner</a>, a former NFL player and former Texas state legislator, appears before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.<br><strong>Pam Bondi, attorney general</strong><br><strong>10:15 a.m.</strong> — Bondi returns for a second hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee.<br><strong>Scott Bessent, treasury secretary</strong><br><strong>10:30 a.m.</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-names-hedge-fund-founder-scott-bessent-as-pick-for-treasury-secretary">Scott Bessent</a>, a hedge fund founder, appears before the Senate Committee on Finance.<br><strong>Doug Collins, veterans affairs secretary</strong><br /> <iframe title="WATCH LIVE: Doug Burgum testifies at Senate confirmation hearing for interior secretary" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GFvGgfn9Gr8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /> <em>Watch the hearing in the player above.</em><br><strong>TBD</strong> — <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-names-former-rep-doug-collins-as-his-choice-to-run-veterans-affairs">Doug Collins</a>, a former Georgia congressman and current chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, testifies before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.<br> <svg class="svg"><use xlink:href="#arrow-left"></use></svg><span>Left:</span> President-elect Donald Trump speaks to reporters following a meeting with GOP Senators on Capitol Hill on Jan. 8. Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images <br><span>By</span> Aamer Madhani, Associated Press<br><span>By</span> Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, Associated Press<br><span>By</span> Aamer Madhani, Zeke Miller, Associated Press<br><span>By</span> Associated Press<br> <a class="post__byline-name-unhyphenated" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/author/joshua-barajas" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/Person" itemprop="author"> <span itemprop="name">Joshua Barajas</span> </a> <a class="post__byline-name-hyphenated" href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/author/joshua-barajas"> Joshua Barajas </a> <br>Joshua Barajas is a senior editor for the PBS NewsHour's Communities Initiative. 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