President Donald Trump’s most controversial executive branch nominee will appear in court next week. The commander-in-chief promised each department would make changes to their respective departments if approved by the Senate.
Kashyap “Kash” Patel has been nominated as the FBI’s next director and will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee, while DNI pick Tulsi Gabbard is scheduled to appear before the Senate The Intelligence Committee held a hearing on the same day.
Some of Trump’s most controversial executive branch nominees are set to appear in court next week. Kashyap “Kash” Patel, left, is nominated to be the FBI’s next director, while Tulsi Gabbard is Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence (DNI). (Jack Gruber/USA Today Network/USA Today Network via IMAGN)
Hegseth clears Senate hurdle, moves up
Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will also appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Thursday for a courtesy hearing.
The Senate’s “advise and consent” role allows the body to review presidential appointments and provide oversight on key positions. The pick requires a majority vote in the Senate, where Republicans outvote Democrats 53-47.
But all face an uphill battle to overcome the lines. The Senate confirmed Pete Hess on Thursday by Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine. (Pete Hegseth) as Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense.
Patel, a fierce critic of the bureau’s work as it investigated ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential election, called for sweeping changes at the FBI.
He served in numerous national security roles during the first Trump administration and was the lead investigator on the congressional inquiry into alleged Trump-Russia collusion. Another person who determined the premise of the original FBI investigation was a falsification.
Trump nominated Patel to be FBI director. (Getty Images)
Tulsi Gabbard
Patel was part of the creation of a February 2018 memo issued by then-Chairman Devin Nunes detailing the Department of Justice and FBI’s efforts to comply with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
He has been a loyal ally of Trump for years, finding common ground in their shared skepticism of government surveillance and “The Deep State,” a term Trump uses to refer to unelected government. Members of the bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, Trump argued that Gabbard would bring a “fearless spirit that has defined her distinguished career to our intelligence community, advocating for our constitutional rights and ensuring peace through strength.” Director of National Intelligence Leads the U.S. intelligence community, which includes overseeing national intelligence programs and advising the President on security matters.
Since 2021, Gabbard has been a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves after previously serving in the Hawaii Army Distant Guard for about 17 years. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in Hawaii during the 2012 election cycle, serving as a Democrat until 2021. She is seeking re-election to the office only after entering the 2020 White House race.
Gabbard left the Democratic Party in 2022, registering as an independent, before becoming a member of the Republican Party last year and giving Trump her full endorsement in his presidential campaign.
Critics have sought to paint Gabbard as sympathetic to national security risks posed by U.S. adversaries.
But more than 250 veterans signed a letter last month endorsing her nomination, including high-profile names like retired Gen. Michael Flynn and former acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller. Chris Miller).
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is also a controversial choice who may face opposition. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Kennedy Jr. is also a controversial choice who could face opposition even among Republicans. In particular, Kennedy’s views on vaccines and past statements have been scrutinized by Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
Additionally, Republican lawmakers are concerned about Kennedy’s past espoused views on abortion and his potential impact on the agricultural sector.
In a major splash for former Democrats, Kennedy broke away from the 2024 presidential race as an independent Trump, vowing to “make America healthy again” as part of the new administration.
Fox News’ Emma Colton and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
