In his first week in office, Trump saw several key Cabinet nominees confirmed by the Senate

In his first week in office, President Donald Trump saw several key Cabinet nominees confirmed by the Senate, while others remained pending. Below is a summary of the confirmed appointments and the status of other nominees as of January 28, 2025:

Confirmed Appointments 1214

• Marco Rubio – Secretary of State
• Confirmed on January 20, 2025, by a unanimous 99-0 Senate vote.
• Rubio, a former Florida senator, is the first Latino to hold this position and is known for his foreign policy expertise, particularly on China and Latin America.
• John Ratcliffe – Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Confirmed on January 23, 2025, by a 74-25 Senate vote.
• Ratcliffe previously served as Director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term.
• Pete Hegseth – Secretary of Defense
• Confirmed on January 24, 2025, by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
• Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army veteran, faced scrutiny over allegations of sexual assault and controversial comments about women in the military.
• Kristi Noem – Secretary of Homeland Security
• Confirmed on January 25, 2025, by a 59-34 Senate vote.
• Noem, the governor of South Dakota, is a staunch Trump loyalist and will oversee immigration, border security, and anti-terrorism efforts.

Pending Confirmations 

• Pam Bondi – Attorney General
• Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, faced pointed questions during her confirmation hearings. Her nomination is delayed due to a hold by Senate Democrats, with a vote expected in early February.
• Doug Burgum – Secretary of the Interior
• Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota, cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with an 18-2 vote. A full Senate vote is pending.
• Sean Duffy – Secretary of Transportation
• Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman and Fox Business host, advanced through the Senate Commerce Committee with unanimous support. A floor vote is yet to be scheduled.
• Scott Bessent – Secretary of the Treasury
• Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager, advanced through the Senate Finance Committee with a 16-11 vote. A floor vote is expected soon.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Secretary of Health and Human Services
• Kennedy, a controversial figure due to his anti-vaccine stance, is scheduled for hearings on January 29 and 30. His confirmation faces skepticism from both parties.
• Tulsi Gabbard – Director of National Intelligence
• Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman, is set for a hearing on January 30. Her nomination is contentious due to her past alignment with foreign adversaries.
• Linda McMahon – Secretary of Education
• McMahon, a former WWE executive and Small Business Administration head, is awaiting a confirmation hearing.

Key Takeaways 

• Trump’s Cabinet confirmations reflect his focus on loyalty and alignment with his agenda, particularly on immigration, energy, and deregulation.
• While some nominees, like Rubio and Ratcliffe, faced little opposition, others, such as Hegseth and Kennedy, are more controversial and could face legal or political challenges.
• The Senate’s Republican majority has facilitated swift confirmations for many nominees, but bipartisan opposition remains for certain picks.

For more details, you can refer to the sources cited above.