When Are Pete Hegseth, RFK Jr. Senate Confirmation Votes? Full Schedule

10 hours ago 1

Some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks are headed to the Senate this week for confirmation.

Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice for defense secretary, and Doug Collins, who was tapped to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, will be the first to face the process, with hearings continuing from Tuesday morning onward.

Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition team via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Trump's Cabinet has been carefully selected for their ability to execute Trump's agenda, but they need approval from the Senate before they can enter the executive branch. If they don't pass congressional approval, Trump must find replacements, spending further political capital.

What To Know

While Republicans have a majority in the Senate, the vote is narrow; candidates can only afford to lose up to two of the 52 Republican Senate votes before they fail the process.

Pete Hegseth, whose confirmation is one of the first to be considered, is one of Trump's most precarious choices. The would-be defense secretary faces allegations of sexual assault, and Senate Democrats have promised to examine all appointments with extreme scrutiny.

What Time Is Each Senate Confirmation Vote?

January 14

9 a.m. - Doug Collins, Veterans' Affairs Committee
9:30 a.m. - Pete Hegseth, Armed Services Committee
10 a.m. - Doug Burgum, Energy and Natural Resources Committee

January 15

9 a.m. - Kristi Noem, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
9:30 a.m. - Pam Bondi, Judiciary Committee
10 a.m. - Marco Rubio, Foreign Relations Committee
10 a.m. - John Ratcliffe, Intelligence Committee
10 a.m. - Sean Duffy, Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
10 a.m. - Chris Wright, Energy & Natural Resources Committee
1 p.m. - Russell Vought, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee

January 16

10 a.m. - Scott Turner, Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee
10 a.m. - Lee Zeldin,Environment and Public Works Committee
10:15 a.m. - Pam Bondi, Judiciary Committee
10:30 a.m. - Scott Bessent, Finance Committee

The appointment hearings for the following Cabinet holders have yet to be given a date, according to Ballotpedia:

Brooke Rollins
Howard Lutnick
Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Linda McMahon
Jamieson Greer
Tulsi Gabbard
Elise Stefanik

What People Are Saying

President-elect Donald Trump on Truth Social about Hegseth's appointment: "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!"

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, who will sit on the panel that approves Hegseth: "While maybe not the credentials that have traditionally been on the resume of nominees for secretary of defense, I think that he brings plenty and he brings some things that some of those more traditional nominees didn't bring. He'll be disruptive in a good way."

What Happens Next

Donald Trump will reenter the White House on January 20, along with all Cabinet members approved by the Senate before then. He must find replacements after his inauguration if any of his picks are rejected.

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