Three of President Donald Trump’s most controversial nominees faced tough questioning in the Senate during Thursday’s hearings from both Democrats and several Republican senators, marking the most direct skepticism from GOP senators over Trump’s nominees to date.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, was grilled by GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on his views on vaccines. Cassidy expressed reservations about Kennedy’s past stance on vaccine safety.
Tulsi Gabbard, nominated for director of national intelligence, faced queries from multiple Republicans about her views on Russian aggression, U.S. government surveillance, and NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
In response to questions about Snowden being a “traitor,” Gabbard acknowledged that he broke the law but refused to directly label him a traitor.
Kash Patel, nominated for FBI director, faced heated exchanges with Democrats over his comments about targeting Trump’s perceived “deep state” adversaries. However, Patel found more support among Republicans on the Judiciary Committee.
Democrats are likely to oppose Trump’s nominees, making confirmation challenging. Gabbard’s nomination, in particular, may be at risk if one Republican blocks it in the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Trump’s allies are applying pressure to sway undecided Republicans to support nominees like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Similar campaigns are planned for senators who oppose further nominees like Gabbard or Kennedy.
The confirmation hearings revealed significant concerns and disagreements over the nominees’ stances on crucial issues such as vaccines, national security, and law enforcement.
The future of Gabbard’s, Kennedy’s, and Patel’s nominations remains uncertain, with their confirmation hinging on the Senate vote.GOP senators like Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell could play pivotal roles in determining the fate of these nominations.
Overall, the hearings highlighted the critical importance of bipartisan scrutiny and thorough evaluation of nominees for key government positions.
CNN’s Devan Cole, Zachary Cohen, Michael Conte, Aileen Graef, Tami Luhby, Hannah Rabinowitz, Manu Raju, and Sam Simpson contributed to this report.