Republicans urge Trump nominees: Don't take the bait from Democrats

Senate Republicans are urging President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees to resist taking the bait from Democrats when their high-stakes confirmation hearings kick off next week, marking a make-or-break moment for some of his choices. 

Headlined by Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick to run the Pentagon, numerous hearings will take place next week with the goal of confirming several key nominees immediately after the Jan. 20 inauguration.

But Democrats are vowing that they will go to the mat to make life hell for some, with Hegseth atop the list. The Defense Department nominee seemingly righted his confirmation ship last month after allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and poor management. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing.

This has led Republicans to warn the nominees against falling hook, line and sinker for the barbs. 

“If it’s not true, say it’s not true,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said, speaking specifically about Hegseth and likening his situation to the high-profile fight over Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. “Remember, you only need Republican votes. Be very, very careful not to jeopardize that support.” 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has reportedly told his colleagues in private that it is time to start “returning the favor” to Republicans after they hammered the Democratic brand for all of the Biden presidency. 

That starts this week when at least a dozen Trump nominees — including Hegseth, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trump’s pick for secretary of State; Pam Bondi, his pick to be attorney general; and John Ratcliffe, Trump’s nominee to head the CIA — take part in their confirmation hearings, some of which could lead to fireworks. 

Republicans believe it is imperative that their nominees are cool, calm and collected during rounds of questioning by Democrats, not only for their sake but for the sake of the person who nominated them in the first place.

“It’s a matter of being technically capable of responding back and showing that you’re prepared for the job,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said. “The bigger challenge for any of the [nominees] is just making sure the president still has confidence in them when they end their discussions.” 

Of the hearings set for the week, Hegseth’s will far and away attract the most eyeballs after his roller coaster confirmation process. According to multiple Senate Republicans, the former Fox News host’s chances were flatlining before he went on an aggressive media campaign and ended up turning things back in his direction.

Senate Republicans expect him to get across the finish line unless he royally trips up when he takes questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee starting Tuesday morning. 

“He’s been on TV. He’s been in front of an audience before. I think he’ll do just fine. I really do,” Rounds said. “I think he’s capable, and I think he sees the needs for creating this lethality back throughout the Department of Defense again as a focus.” 

The hearing will also be the first chance most Armed Services Democrats have to ask Hegseth questions of any kind since he was tapped by Trump to lead the Pentagon nearly two months ago. Hegseth sat down Thursday with Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.), the top Democrat on the panel, marking his first private sit-down with any Democratic committee member. 

Notably, some of the most controversial nominees Trump has put forth will not be taking part in hearings this week, including former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Kash Patel. 

Hearings must be noticed a week in advance, meaning that none of the three will appear before a panel before inauguration week. 

Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee held up a potential Gabbard hearing after a delay in receiving her FBI background check, ethics disclosure or prehearing questionnaire. However, they did get all of the relevant information to move ahead with Ratcliffe’s hearing to become CIA director. 

As for Patel, the Judiciary Committee is prioritizing Bondi’s hearing to become attorney general, which will kick off Wednesday and is already drawing arrows from Democrats. 

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking member on Judiciary Committee, accused Bondi of not listing her work as a lobbyist for a number of foreign countries — including Qatar, Zimbabwe and Kosovo — and organizations as potential conflicts of interest. 

“Ms. Bondi did not list any of these matters or clients as potential conflicts of interest on her Senate Judiciary Questionnaire. To understand the extent to which her work as a FARA-registered lobbyist may create potential conflicts of interest should she be confirmed as Attorney General, the Committee requires additional information from the Department of Justice that is not otherwise available,” Durbin wrote to Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), asking that copies of her contracts and statements related to that work be shared. 

But the wait for those three will be consumed with this first crop of hearings, with Republicans paying close attention to how they go amid hopes that they won’t falter under the bright lights. 

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of leadership, recalled an instance years ago when a political opponent was pillorying her at an event, during which she got a text from her husband — one that she says the nominees should heed.

“I read it and it says, ‘Don’t take the bait,’” Capito said. 

“So I guess that’s it,” she added. “Don’t take the bait.”