While Trump's Cabinet nominees play to their audience of one, it’s Democrats’ responsibility to play to the audience that really matters here: the American people.

Will the Senate GOP confirm controversial picks like Pete Hegseth and RFK Jr.? Here’s this week’s full Senate confirmation hearing schedule.

Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent is on track to be confirmed following a confirmation hearing Thursday lacking the theatrics some of his would-be Trump administration colleagues have faced, with questions largely keeping to policy issues like the federal budget and trade tariffs.

Trump's picks to lead four federal agencies testified without the flashes of anger that marked Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi's earlier showdowns.

Notably, Gabbard questioned the US intelligence community’s assessments that Assad was behind a deadly chlorine gas attack the same year she met with the Syrian strongman, to which Trump said at the time: “There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons.”

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department sat for a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday after hearings for Veterans’ Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum were postponed.

Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience, comments about women and Black troops, and allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct make him unfit to serve. Some takeaways from the hearing:

Four days away from inauguration, the Senate is moving quickly with confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet. The saga began with defense secretary nominee Pete

Democrats repeatedly called Pete Hegseth unfit to be secretary of defense, but Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee expressed nothing but support for his candidacy at a confirmation hearing.

Pete Hegseth is widely expected to face the steepest uphill battle of any nominee for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet.

The new administration is set to face significant challenges, including heightened geopolitical tensions, economic recovery, and domestic political polarisation.