Credit cards, climate change and electric cars: Team Trump confirmation hearings
WASHINGTON – The Donald Trump confirmation train kept rolling Thursday as senators questioned the president-elect’s picks to run the Treasury, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development departments, as well as the EPA – and heard from witnesses in Pam Bondi’s bid to become the next U.S. attorney general.
Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator-designate, and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump's choice for Interior secretary, faced questions about climate change from Democratic senators as the next administration prepares to expand oil and gas drilling on public lands.
Amid sometimes probing questions, the hearings abounded in courtesy, without the angry flashes that marked Senate appearances this week by former Fox and Friends co-host Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice for Defense secretary, and Bondi, who's on track to lead the Justice Department.
More: No experience? No problem. Trump’s Cabinet raises concerns about government dysfunction.
Bondi, a former Florida state attorney general, weathered often heated questioning from Democrats on the Judiciary Committee Wednesday over her refusal to admit Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Senators from both parties said she was on track for confirmation. And Hegseth survived a stormy hearing that raked him over the coals for allegations - which he denies, and which resulted in no criminal charges - of sexual assault and excessive drinking.
Thursday's hearings also included Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary-designate, and Eric Turner, who Trump will appoint to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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Follow along with USA TODAY's coverage as Trump’s team moves closer to taking the reins in Washington.
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Will Trump kill the electric car?
President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted he would repeal vehicle emission rules that would boost ? or some say require ? the sale of electric vehicles on his first day in office but his nominee to run the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took a more cautious approach when speaking to senators Thursday.
Former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., who has been tapped by Trump to lead the EPA, declined to commit to rolling back what Trump and other critics of the rules have called an "EV mandate" when asked, acknowledging only that he has heard concerns about regulations put in place by President Joe Biden's administration.
As to whether he would promise to reverse such regulations by U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Nebraska, Zeldin said, "I will not prejudge outcomes" and would instead only commit to making sure the EPA under his leadership is "pursuing commonsense, pragmatic solutions" to environmental problems.
?Todd Spangler
More: Trump's EPA pick cautious on changing electric vehicle rules
Pam Bondi confirmation hearing Day 2 wraps
Day Two of Pam Bondi's Senate confirmation closed following testimony from witnesses who touted her priorities and experience as a former prosecutor and Florida attorney general, and a consumer advocate who expressed concerns about her past lobbying.
Dave Aronberg, a Democrat and former state attorney for Florida's Palm Beach County, described Bondi, a Republican, offering him the position as her drug czar in the Office of the Florida Attorney General, despite his political affiliation.
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"She didn't care that I was a Democrat," Aronberg said. "Today, Florida's pill mills are no more, the steady stream of cars from Appalachia that constituted the 'Oxycontin Express' are a distant memory, and countless lives have been saved because our state's days as the drug dealer for the rest of the country is an ignominious part of our past."
Lisa Gilbert, by contrast, sounded the alarm about Bondi's nomination. Gilbert is co-president of nonprofit consumer advocate group Public Citizen, which conducted a review of Bondi's past lobbying work.
Bondi represented 30 clients over the last five years, including Amazon and Geo Group, a private-prisons company. On Wednesday, she testified that she would consult with career ethics officials within the Justice Department over how to handle potential conflicts of interest.
"This level of corporate entanglement just speaks to exactly the wrong incentives," Gilbert said Thursday. "We do not think that this level of corporate alignment can be addressed simply by recusals."
– Aysha Bagchi
Burgum pressed on whether he would apply conditions on federal aid
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., whose state is reeling from the Los Angeles wildfires, asked Burgum whether he believes federal aid should come with conditions.
“Well, I think … each situation would vary,” Burgum said.
Padilla’s question comes as Trump and some Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have called for placing conditions on disaster aid to California amid an embittered relationship between the president-elect and Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom. Trump has blamed the wildfires on Newsom, while Newsom has called on Trump not to “play any politics.”
The Department of Interior plays a key role in wildfire response and determining how wildfire management budgets are allocated and spent.
Padilla then asked Burgum whether he would commit to responding to every disaster, regardless of the state and jurisdiction. “Absolutely,” Burgum said.
?Sudiksha Kochi
Whitehouse asks about fossil fuel influence on Trump EPA
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., warned Zeldin, Trump’s pick for Environmental Protection Agency administrator, of pressure from the fossil fuel industry leaders and lobbyists.
“They’ll be coming after you. Hard,” Whitehouse said. “And they’ll be feeling very entitled based on their political spending toward a Trump victory.”
Zeldin is expected to support Trump’s agenda to deregulate and expand the fossil fuel industry.
Whitehouse also asked about calls from some members of Trump world to slash staffing at agencies such as the EPA and whether Zeldin would comply.
“I am not coming into this position with any threat,” Zeldin replied. “My position as I sit here is a promise, it is an obligation, and it is a commitment to do my part to do the best job possible in leading the EPA.”
?Savannah Kuchar
Sanders asks Bessent about capping credit card interest
Sen. Bernie Sanders asked Scott Bessent if Donald Trump would make good on a campaign promise to cap credit card interest rates.
Credit card balances increased by $24 billion to hit $1.17 trillion in the third quarter of 2024, according to the Federal Bank Reserve of New York.
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“President-Elect Trump promised that he was going to cap credit card interest rates at 10%,” said Sanders. “I happen to think that that is a very good idea, and I will soon be introducing legislation.”
Sanders asked if Bessent would support such a move.
“If I am confirmed, I will follow what President Trump wants to do,” he said.
?Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
More: Billions of dollars for millions of Americans: why 'delete the CFPB' might not fly
'No immunity' for Pam Bondi in carrying out Trump directives
At the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) asked Mary B. McCord, who runs a constitutional advocacy institute at the Georgetown University Law Center, what the attorney general should do if President-elect Donald Trump has immunity from prosecution for using the Department of Justice to violate the law.
The Supreme Court's July 1 presidential immunity ruling stated that Trump was "absolutely immune" from criminal prosecution for allegedly requesting investigations by the Justice Department that he knew were shams in order to try to overturn the 2020 election.
"The immunity decision right now, as far as we know, applies only to the President, and so there's no immunity for Attorney General Bondi if she were to engage in illegal activity or unconstitutional activity in carrying out a directive of Donald Trump," McCord said.
"That's why the independence is so much more important, even now in the wake of that decision, because she is the first person to have a position of standing up to the President," McCord added.
– Aysha Bagchi
California senator questions Zeldin on disaster response
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., questioned Zeldin on his willingness to advocate for Californians affected by recent devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Zeldin expressed sympathy for Schiff’s southern California constituency.
“I would want to in fact do everything in my power to be able to assist,” Zeldin said.
Trump and certain House Republicans have shown interest in placing conditions on disaster aid for California, amid tense relations between the president-elect and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom has suspended landmark environmental laws to speed rebuilding in Los Angeles after the wildfire disaster.
“And I assume, Mr. Zeldin, your response will not depend on whether disaster strikes a red state or a blue state, you will equally work to speed relief to those Americans affected?” Schiff asked Thursday.
“Yes, Senator,” Zeldin replied.
-- Savannah Kuchar
Hirono raises climate change, Burgum parries with carbon capture
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii., pressed Burgum on climate change, noting Trump's call for more oil and gas drilling.
More than 23 million acres of public land are currently leased out for oil and gas drilling, and Trump has promised to expand that.
Hirono noted that two Republican defense secretaries, James Mattis and Chuck Hagel, had described climate change as a critical national security threat. Burgum said he wasn’t aware of those testimonies.
“But I do know that within fossil fuels, the concern has been about emissions, and within emissions, we have the technology to do things like carbon capture to eliminate harmful emissions,” he said.
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“The fact of the matter is, is that you have military leaders who acknowledge that climate change is a major issue, and for you to take the position that you're going to engage in active actions that will result in the burden of burning more fossil fuel, it's troubling,” Hirono replied.
?Sudiksha Kochi
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From South Carolina to Wall Street: Bessent touts his 'only in America story'
Scott Bessent introduced himself to the Senate Finance Committee at his hearing for Treasury secretary on Thursday by talking about his humble origins in South Carolina.
“My father fell into extreme financial difficulty when I was young,” he said. “When I was nine years old, I started working two summer jobs and I haven't stopped working since.”
Bessent made my way to Yale University. He said he accepted his first internship in finance because the job came with a pullout sofa in the office to sleep on.
“Which allowed me to live in New York City rent free,” he said.
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Since then, he said, he’s worked with world's greatest investor and traveled to almost 60 countries.
“My life has been the only in America story that I am determined to preserve for future generations,” Bessesnt said. “Today I believe that President Trump has a generational opportunity to unleash a new economic golden age that will create more jobs, wealth and prosperity for all Americans.”
?Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Sanders pushes Zeldin on Trump and climate change
President-elect Trump has said climate change is a “hoax.” His pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, faced questions from senators on the left side of the aisle about this position.
“Do you agree with President-elect Trump that climate change is a hoax?” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., asked.
Zeldin replied that he believes climate change is real, before defending his likely future boss.
“As far as President Trump goes, the context that I have heard him speak about it was with a criticism of policies that have been enacted because of climate change,” Zeldin said. “And I think that he’s concerned about the economic costs of some policies where there’s a debate and a difference of opinion between parties.”
“I would respectfully disagree with you,” Sanders said.
?Savannah Kuchar
Day 2 of Pam Bondi confirmation hearing starts: Who are the witnesses?
The second day of Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing has kicked off. While Bondi herself faced questions from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, several witnesses are slated to testify about her nomination on Thursday:
Dave Aronberg, the former state attorney for Florida's Palm Beach County and a former member of the Florida Senate. Aronberg is a Democrat.
Nicholas B. Cox, a statewide prosecutor in the Florida Attorney General's office.
Emery Gainey, a former sheriff for Florida's Alachua County.
Lisa Gilbert, co-president of nonprofit consumer advocate group Public Citizen, which has conducted a review of Bondi's past lobbying work.
Mary B. McCord, the executive director of Georgetown University Law center's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.
– Aysha Bagchi
More: Pam Bondi survives Senate grilling
Senators open Burgum hearing with California wildfires
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the Energy and Natural Resouces Committee chair, and ranking member Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., opened their remarks by addressing wildfires that have left 25 dead and thousands of schools, businesses and other structures destroyed in the Los Angeles area. Heinrich described the wildfires as “horrible” and said more must be more done to combat climate change.
Lee said that addressing the wildfire crisis that has impacted western states will be a “very key priority” for Burgum if he's confirmed.
“It's clear that mismanagement of public lands has consequences that often reach far beyond rural areas,” Lee said. “Federal agencies must re-evaluate their approach to wildfire prevention, prioritizing forest management strategies that mitigate the risk of catastrophic losses.”
-- Sudiksha Kochi
WATCH: Scott Bessent's Treasury Secretary confirmation hearing
Zeldin hearing opens with a gift
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., kicked off his opening statement on a positive note: “I’d like to let everyone know that I like the chairman.”
“That’s a good start,” he continued amid laughter from the audience.
Whitehouse then gifted Sen. Shelley Capito, R-W.V., chair of the committee overseeing Zeldin’s confirmation hearing, a gavel made in 1956 using wood from the old West Virginia statehouse.
“May you bang it in good health,” Whitehouse said.
-- Savannah Kuchar
Who is Doug Burgum?
Burgum is a businessman who served as governor of North Dakota for two terms from 2016 and 2024. Before that, he held private sector jobs as a senior vice president at Microsoft and co-founder of regional venture capital fund Arthur Ventures, according to the governor's office.
Trump tapped Burgum to be his secretary of Interior and chair a new National Energy Council, which Trump said in a statement would “oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE."
He made a long-shot run in the Republican 2024 primaries against Trump, mainly leaning into energy, national security and the economy. Burgum is set to appear before the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources at 10 a.m.
-- Sudiksha Kochi
Trump environment pick Lee Zeldin is an industry favorite
Trump’s pick to run the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, 44, is a former New York congressman. Zeldin, a Republican, left his seat in the House in 2022 to run for New York governor, losing to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
While in Congress, Zeldin opposed climate measures such as investments in climate-resilient wastewater infrastructure, while also fighting efforts to dispose of dredge waste in the Long Island Sound.
He appears Thursday before the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, chaired by Sen. Shelley Capito, R-W.V.
-- Savannah Kuchar, Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Joey Garrison
Watch Scott Bessent's Treasury Secretary confirmation hearing
Scott Bessent may be pressed on financial crises
Wall Street veteran Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Treasury secretary, faces his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday in front of a mostly friendly crowd but where he can expect a grilling from one of the leading Democratic liberals over financial deregulation that's considered a primary cause of past economic crises.
Bessent, 62, is scheduled to appear before the Senate Finance Committee in the U.S. Capitol.
The former Soros Fund Management chief investment currently serves as CEO of Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group, which he founded. If confirmed, Bessent would be the first openly gay Cabinet member of a Republican administration. He's also been known to cross party lines, hosting a fundraiser for then-Vice President Al Gore when he was running for president in 2000.
"Scott has long been a strong advocate of the America First Agenda," said Trump in a statement in November when he announced his Treasury nominee.
?Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Trump appointees stand by their man
During his first stint in the White House from 2017 to 2021, Trump often clashed with top figures in his administration.
Now the president-elect is nominating people who are very closely aligned with him and less willing to contradict him.
Democrats repeatedly asked Bondi Wednesday if Trump lost the 2020 election. She wouldn’t say, offering only that she acknowledged Joe Biden is president.
“You cannot say who won the 2020 election. It’s disturbing that you can’t give voice to that fact,” said Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii.
?Zachary Anderson
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Dems sharpen knives for Kash Patel, Trump's FBI pick
Democratic senators are gearing up to fight Trump's nomination of Kash Patel to lead the FBI – at least if their questions at the confirmation hearing for attorney general pick Pam Bondi are any signal.
Multiple Democrats who appeared open to supporting Bondi's confirmation took the opportunity to voice alarm about the prospect of Patel heading the top federal law enforcement agency. The bureau is part of the Justice Department, which is led by the attorney general. Patel's Senate confirmation hearing hasn't been scheduled.
A former federal prosecutor and Republican congressional staffer, Patel has said that as FBI director he would "shut down the FBI Hoover Building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum to the deep state." In a Truth Social post, Trump has described Patel's 2023 book, "Government Gangsters" as "the roadmap to end the Deep State's Reign."
?Aysha Bagchi and Bart Jansen
More: At Pam Bondi's attorney general confirmation hearing, focus moved to FBI nominee Kash Patel
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Confirmation hearings recap: Trump's team aces Senate hearings