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What to Watch: Day Three of Cabinet Confirmation Hearings On Day 3, a Theme: The Gap Between Trump and His Nominees
(about 4 hours later)
It is somehow only Thursday. ■ A third day of confirmation hearings is starting on Capitol Hill, with one emerging theme: Many of the nominees of President-elect Donald J. Trump have serious disagreements with him on policy.
■ After two days of confirmation hearings and a late-night legislative session known as vote-a-rama, weary senators are returning for another round of appearances by cabinet nominees of President-elect Donald J. Trump. ■ Mr. Trump’s pick to be defense secretary, the retired general, James N. Mattis, his choice for housing secretary, Ben Carson, and his selection to run the C.I.A., Representative Mike Pompeo, will be grilled starting this morning.
■ Mr. Trump’s pick to be housing secretary, Ben Carson; his selection to run the C.I.A., Representative Mike Pompeo; and his choice for defense secretary, the retired general James N. Mattis, get their grilling starting this morning.
Here is what they’ll face.Here is what they’ll face.
In the first minutes of the hearing, Mr. Mattis put space between himself and Mr. Trump, who has embraced a more affectionate relationship with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin. Mr. Putin, Mr. Mattis said, “is trying to break the North Atlantic alliance,” in a reference to NATO. He said the United States and its NATO allies must take necessary steps to strengthen the alliance.
His route to confirmation, which is expected, is more complex than other nominees. Mr. Mattis left active duty in 2013, and federal law mandates a seven-year waiting period before a retired general can serve as defense secretary. Mr. Mattis must obtain a congressional waiver to take the position.
Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and the committee chairman, strongly encouraged passing the waiver, and that is likely.
Before Mr. Mattis even began to answer questions, Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, started talking about the language of Founding Fathers.
“Many believe,” Senator Reed said, “that you’ll be the saucer that cools the coffee.”
It was a reference to the historical tale of a debate between Thomas Jefferson and George Washington that has something to do with the Senate serving as a cooling balm (saucer) on whatever hot stuff (coffee) the House comes up with.
But at a time when Mr. Trump has staked out national security positions that often fall outside the norm of conventional American foreign policy norms, Mr. Reed — and a number of lawmakers — have made it clear that they expect Mr. Mattis to work to cool off some of Mr. Trump’s heated rhetoric.
Mr. Carson is among the more high-profile nominees, so perhaps it was fitting that he had a validator like Omarosa Manigault, who gained famed on Mr. Trump’s reality show, “The Apprentice.” She was seated in the front row with some of Mr. Carson’s family members.
Sometimes, the résumés of presidential nominees leave few questions about how they might govern at their chosen agencies. And sometimes, Mr. Carson, a celebrated neurosurgeon who became a conservative hero and presidential candidate, is nominated to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development.Sometimes, the résumés of presidential nominees leave few questions about how they might govern at their chosen agencies. And sometimes, Mr. Carson, a celebrated neurosurgeon who became a conservative hero and presidential candidate, is nominated to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Though Mr. Carson has no experience overseeing a sprawling federal bureaucracy, and few professional links to the department’s mission, he would enter public service with an uncommon background. Raised in an impoverished Detroit neighborhood — by a mother who worked several jobs and strained to feed her sons, often with food stamps — Mr. Carson has nonetheless come to embrace the standard conservative orthodoxy suggesting welfare breeds dangerous dependency.Though Mr. Carson has no experience overseeing a sprawling federal bureaucracy, and few professional links to the department’s mission, he would enter public service with an uncommon background. Raised in an impoverished Detroit neighborhood — by a mother who worked several jobs and strained to feed her sons, often with food stamps — Mr. Carson has nonetheless come to embrace the standard conservative orthodoxy suggesting welfare breeds dangerous dependency.
Mr. Carson will highlight his hardscrabble roots to present himself as a rare leader who can “understand housing insecurity,” according to prepared remarks Mr. Trump’s transition team provided. He will also remind lawmakers of the “strong connection between housing and health.”Mr. Carson will highlight his hardscrabble roots to present himself as a rare leader who can “understand housing insecurity,” according to prepared remarks Mr. Trump’s transition team provided. He will also remind lawmakers of the “strong connection between housing and health.”
Mr. Carson plans to speak to importance of “efficient” federal assistance, according to the prepared text. “Simply put, it’s difficult for a child to learn at school if he or she doesn’t have an adequate place to live. In these situations, government can and should help,” Mr. Carson will say. “However, I believe we need to ensure that the help we provide families is efficient and effective. It cannot, and should not, trap people in an intergenerational cycle of poverty. “ Mr. Carson plans to speak to importance of “efficient” federal assistance, according to the prepared text. “Simply put, it’s difficult for a child to learn at school if he or she doesn’t have an adequate place to live. In these situations, government can and should help,” Mr. Carson will say. “However, I believe we need to ensure that the help we provide families is efficient and effective. It cannot, and should not, trap people in an intergenerational cycle of poverty.”
How will Democrats react? Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, said he would prefer a candidate with more experience. But he suggested it could be worse.
“He’s just, on the surface, better than most of Trump’s appointees, nominees,” Mr. Brown said. “That’s not a real high bar perhaps. But you be the judge.”
Mr. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the intelligence community amid revelations of Russian interference in the presidential election. Now he gets to install a team of his own.Mr. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the intelligence community amid revelations of Russian interference in the presidential election. Now he gets to install a team of his own.
His choice to run the Central Intelligence Agency, Mr. Pompeo, a Kansas Republican, is scheduled to sit for his hearing on Thursday. Known as a bare-knuckled partisan, Mr. Pompeo will have to balance winning over the C.I.A. while keeping the confidence of the Trump White House.His choice to run the Central Intelligence Agency, Mr. Pompeo, a Kansas Republican, is scheduled to sit for his hearing on Thursday. Known as a bare-knuckled partisan, Mr. Pompeo will have to balance winning over the C.I.A. while keeping the confidence of the Trump White House.
His confirmation hearing is the first test. Expect plenty of questions about cyberattacks and the election.His confirmation hearing is the first test. Expect plenty of questions about cyberattacks and the election.
Mr. Trump’s aides will be watching for signs Mr. Pompeo can be trusted. Democrats will look to draw out any differences between the nominee and Mr. Trump. Mr. Pompeo should expect to be asked to summarize his views on mass surveillance (good), Russia (bad) and waterboarding (not illegal, and not torture).Mr. Trump’s aides will be watching for signs Mr. Pompeo can be trusted. Democrats will look to draw out any differences between the nominee and Mr. Trump. Mr. Pompeo should expect to be asked to summarize his views on mass surveillance (good), Russia (bad) and waterboarding (not illegal, and not torture).
Then there is the C.I.A. Michael V. Hayden, a former director of both the C.I.A. and the National Security Agency, said that officials there, wary of the Trump team, would hope to hear the message, “I’m going to protect you from these guys.”Then there is the C.I.A. Michael V. Hayden, a former director of both the C.I.A. and the National Security Agency, said that officials there, wary of the Trump team, would hope to hear the message, “I’m going to protect you from these guys.”
“Every television set in Langley,” he said referring to the Virginia headquarters of the C.I.A., “is going to be on for that hearing.”“Every television set in Langley,” he said referring to the Virginia headquarters of the C.I.A., “is going to be on for that hearing.”
Mr. Mattis, the nominee for defense secretary, will embark on a slightly more complex route to confirmation. Mr. Mattis left active duty in 2013, and federal law mandates a seven-year waiting period before a retired general can serve as defense secretary. Mr. Mattis must get a congressional waiver to take the position.
In addition to the Senate hearing, Mr. Mattis was supposed to appear before the House Armed Services Committee. But on Wednesday, Trump transition officials said that Mr. Mattis would not testify before the House committee as planned.
Few people expect the congressional waiver to be a problem for Mr. Mattis, who is perhaps the most widely respected in Washington of all of Mr. Trump’s nominees for cabinet posts. But several lawmakers have indicated that they want the retired general to discuss his views on civilian control of the military before they vote to grant any waiver.
One result of the “vote-a-rama” early Thursday was immediately clear: The Senate approved a budget blueprint as part of Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, turning the focus to the House, which could take up the measure this week.
Another consequence of the late-night vote might not be obvious until lawmakers return to work on Thursday: How will an army of groggy senators go about questioning nominees in the throes of an already-exhausting week on Capitol Hill?