Readers criticize the vote on the defense secretary nomination. Also: President Trump and tariffs; silencing health officials; firing of inspectors general; longevity.

The vote came amid concerns about his qualifications to lead the Pentagon amid allegations of heavy drinking and abusive behavior toward women.

Senators voted 51-49 to advance Hegseth's defense secretary bid, which has been mired in several controversies. Two Republicans oppose him.

A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

President Donald Trump's second White House is looking a lot like the inside of Mar-a-Lago, with extremely wealthy Americans taking key roles in his Republican administration.

A slate of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees have appeared before senators in recent days for key hearings on their road to confirmation. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was the first to be confirmed,

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. The Senate quickly confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Monday, voting unanimously to give President ...

As Donald Trump returns to the White House on January 20, Republicans will have a majority in the Senate. This means that his Cabinet nominees will likely face an easier path to confirmation, even for those who may have surrounded themselves with controversies.

President Donald Trump notched two victories on Thursday as he pushed to get his top officials in place. He also faced new legal challenges.

Will the Senate GOP confirm controversial picks like Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.? Here’s the hearings schedule and list of who’s been confirmed.

Trump’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency is John Ratcliffe, who formerly served as Director of National Intelligence in Trump’s first term. His confirmation hearing took place last week, during which he repeatedly said he would not hire or fire employees based on their political views.

US President-elect Donald Trump has filled key posts in his upcoming administration, leaning on allies and strong loyalists from his 2024 campaign as he shapes a team that reflects his commitment to an ‘America First’ agenda.