Senate sends Scott Bessent to final vote for Treasury Secretary nomination
The Senate voted 67-23 to advance Scott Bessent’s nomination to be Treasury Secretary this afternoon. Fifteen Democrats voted with all Republicans to advance him.
Bessent’s final confirmation vote is teed up for Monday at 5:30 p.m.
Trump fires at least 12 inspectors general overnight in legally murky move
President Donald Trump on Friday fired at least 12 inspectors general in the federal government, a senior White House official confirmed to NBC News.
The move did not affect the inspectors general for the Justice Department or the Department of Homeland Security.
When asked why the inspectors general were fired, the official said the move was an effort by the president to let go of parts of the past Biden administration that don’t “align” with the new Trump administration.
“We’re cleaning house of what doesn’t work for us and going forward,” the official said.
Noem resigns as governor, Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden to take over
Following the Senate's vote to confirm former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, Noem resigned her former post, ushering former Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden into the governorship.
"In the last six years, I have had the privilege to serve as Governor of South Dakota ... Today I resign to you the position," Noem wrote in her resignation letter.
"Through my tenure, South Dakotans enjoyed a greater level of Freedom than anywhere else. Our state is safer, stronger, and Freer for our kids and our grandkids. My role as Governor was to serve the People, to honor our Constitution, to keep government limited, and to protect the American ideals of Freedom and Opportunity," she added.
Senate confirms Noem as DHS Secretary
The Senate voted 59-34 to confirm Noem to be President Donald Trump’s Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
The Senate is now taking a procedural vote on Scott Bessent’s nomination to be Treasury Secretary. His final confirmation vote is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Monday.
Earlier today, Pete Hegseth was sworn in as Defense Secretary after he was confirmed by the Senate late last night.
Senate is voting on Kristi Noem's nomination for homeland security secretary
The Senate is voting now on Noem's nomination to be the secretary of homeland security.
This comes after the Senate voted last night in a bipartisan fashion to end debate on her nomination and move forward to the final vote.
The eight Democrats who voted with Republicans to advance Noem's nomination included Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
Vance swears Hegseth in as Defense Secretary
About 12 hours after the Senate voted to confirm former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, the vice president presided over Hegseth's swearing-in at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington.
"This is the Secretary of Defense who will stand up for the men and women that we send overseas to fight our nation’s wars. I think a lot of them feel that they haven’t had somebody who’s had their back. That will change, because the President of the United States nominated this guy, and we are grateful to President Trump for doing so," Vance told attendees before officially administering the oath of office to Hegseth.
In brief remarks after taking the oath, Hegseth thanked Vance for breaking the tie vote in the Senate in his favor on Friday night.
"I look forward to working with all of you and other senators to ensure the Defense Department has what it needs, that our nation has what it needs, and that we’re prepared to defend it in all moments," Hegseth added.
Schumer: Inspector general firings are 'a chilling purge'
In a speech on the Senate floor, Schumer addressed reports that overnight Trump fired multiple inspectors general, who are entrusted to investigate waste, fraud and abuse at federal agencies.
"Yesterday, in the dark of night, President Trump fired at least 12 independent inspector generals at important federal agencies across the administration. This is a chilling purge, and it’s a preview of the lawless approach Donald Trump and his administration are taking far too often as he’s becoming president," Schumer said.
He also claimed that the legality of the firings are in question, saying, "These dismissals are possibly in violation of federal law, which requires Congress to have 30 days notice of any intent to fire inspectors general.”
Schumer: Hegseth has 'no experience, terrible judgment and serious flaws of character'
In a speech on the Senate floor Saturday morning, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would vote no on Noem's nomination later today.
He also blasted Hegseth and Senate Republicans, saying that they "entrusted the most powerful military in the world to someone with no experience, terrible judgment and serious flaws of character."
"This is a deeply troubling moment," Schumer added. "Our troops deserve so much better than Pete Hegseth. Our country deserves so much better than Pete Hegseth."