Bessent, Burgum headline Thursday's confirmation hearings

Confirmation hearings for President-elect Trump’s Cabinet picks are in full swing again Thursday as the Senate works to screen his controversial nominees.

Committees will hear from the contenders hoping to lead Trump’s second-term Treasury, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development departments, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency. Among them are former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s 2024 primary rival and his pick for Interior, and Scott Bessent, the billionaire money manager who would helm the Treasury.

Just days away from Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, the president-elect and his allies are working to get his Cabinet picks through the chamber Republicans now hold with a 53-seat majority. But with such a slim margin, even a few GOP holdouts could complicate the road to confirmation.

Here’s what you need to know about the Thursday confirmation hearings.

Doug Burgum

The former North Dakota governor was slated to appear before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, but Burgum’s initial hearing was kicked to Thursday at 10 a.m. after Democratic pushback.

Democrats requested a delay on Monday, saying that Burgum’s financial disclosure, ethics agreement and other documents had not yet been received. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who chairs the committee, postponed the hearing “to ensure transparency,” but he put the blame for the paperwork delay on the Office of Government and Ethics.

Burgum ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, but he endorsed Trump after failing to gain traction in the polls and ending his long-shot bid. He was later a contender in the so-called veepstakes to become Trump’s running mate.

Burgum is expected to play a key role in fulfilling Trump’s commitment to “drill, baby, drill” in his second term, and he would oversee the department responsible for managing the country’s natural resources and many federal lands. Trump has also put Burgum in charge of a new Council of National Energy.

Lee Zeldin

Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) will appear at 10 a.m. before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to lead Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump has signaled that his second administration will roll back environmental regulations. In nominating Zeldin, the president-elect promised that his pick will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards.”

Zeldin served in Congress from 2015 to 2023, and he was outspoken in his defense of Trump during the then-president’s first impeachment trial. In 2022, he left the House to unsuccessfully challenge New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for her seat, though he came closer than some had expected in the blue state.

He has a somewhat sparse record on environmental policy, but his congressional voting history scored a 14 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters.

Scott Turner

Scott Turner is an alum of Trump’s first administration, in which he served as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. This time around, he’s on track to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Before entering politics and serving in the Texas House of Representatives, Turner was a nine-season NFL player. He most recently helmed the Center for Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a pro-Trump think tank. Linda McMahon, Trump’s Education secretary selection, is chair of the AFPI board.

Turner is set to follow Ben Carson, who led HUD during Trump’s first term and worked to put forward budget cuts to several programs. Many of those proposals may be reintroduced in the coming years.

HUD oversees national policy and programs that address housing needs. Turner will go before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee at 10 a.m.

Scott Bessent

Trump has tapped Bessent, the billionaire founder and CEO of hedge fund Key Square Group, to lead his economic team as Treasury secretary, overseeing the agency responsible for U.S. financial security.

Bessent supported Democratic presidential campaigns in the past, and he worked for Democratic mega-donor George Soros before founding his own firm. Now, he’s a key figure in the Republican orbit and served as an economic adviser to Trump’s campaign.

Bessent would be the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate under a Republican president.

His nomination comes as Trump calls for major tariffs and changes in the U.S. approach to global trade, though Trump’s official announcement for Bessent did not include mention of tariffs.

The Treasury hopeful will appear before the Senate Finance Committee at 10:30 a.m.

Coming Friday

9 a.m., South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), nominee for Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, appears before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

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