Vice President-elect JD Vance is spearheading efforts to bring some of Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks to Capitol Hill this week for crucial meetings with key Republican senators involved in their confirmation process. Vance is expected to participate in select meetings, including those with former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, and former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, who is set to lead the Department of Defense.
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has confirmed plans to meet with Gaetz and Vance on Wednesday. Additionally, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s choice for ambassador to the United Nations, and former Rep. Doug Collins, selected for Secretary of Veterans Affairs, will also engage in discussions with senators this week.
The scheduled meetings are set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday. A statement from Trump-Vance Transition spokesman Brian Hughes emphasized the incoming administration's accelerated pace to secure key nominees' confirmations promptly to begin delivering for the American people. Hughes highlighted that Rep. Collins (VA), Rep. Gaetz (DOJ), Pete Hegseth (DOD), and Rep. Stefanik (UN) will commence their meetings this week, with further visits to Capitol Hill planned after the Thanksgiving recess.
These Senate meetings occur amidst heightened scrutiny surrounding Gaetz and Hegseth due to allegations from their past, raising uncertainties about their prospects in the upcoming confirmation battles.
