Several of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s Cabinet picks are scheduled to begin confirmation hearings this week, paving the way for them to serve in their roles at the start of the Trump administration. But hearings, the most public part of the confirmation process, are just one feature of the complex vetting of people seeking to run federal agencies.
The Senate, which scrutinizes and approves nominees through a process described in the Constitution as “advice and consent,” typically holds hearings first with national security and law enforcement nominees because of the sensitivity and urgency of its work. President Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, and his pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, are among more than a dozen candidates who will be questioned by lawmakers this week.
Below are the steps candidates and prospective candidates take after the president-elect has chosen the position and before being confirmed.
Meeting with Senators
Cabinet nominees typically visit Capitol Hill well in advance of their confirmation hearings, allowing lawmakers to get to know them informally and express support or press them about potential policy disputes that may arise later in the confirmation process.
They work with advisors Helps you navigate the Capitol complex and handle interactions with Senate committees and offices. They are usually full of briefing materials.
Former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, who served as Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, recalled reading it during the confirmation process.
“I remember one day as I was looking at the door of the governor’s office, a man came down with a dolly filled with three-inch binders containing briefing materials from DHS,” she said. “And I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?’”
Mr. Napolitano added, “I had to learn the difference between a ship and a boat.”
Candidates often use visits to the Capitol to show they have momentum. Some of Trump’s more divisive nominees for top positions, including potential FBI Director Kash Patel, have met with friendly Republican senators in recent weeks, who later confirmed their support. I posted a photo and statement saying:
The conference is also an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate bipartisanship. Representative Ellis Stefanik of New York, who was nominated by President Trump to be ambassador to the United Nations, met with Democratic lawmakers who expressed support, including Senator Jackie Rosen of Nevada and Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
Ethics Review and Background Check
Candidates must submit documentation of their professional and educational background. This is a type of oversized resume that federal officials use to conduct research into a candidate’s professional and personal life, including whether he or she has used drugs or has a police record. Many senior candidates submit a more extensive version of the document that explores potential foreign contacts or travel.
The FBI uses these forms to complete background checks that lawmakers use to evaluate candidates. Top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee were briefed last week ahead of Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, for example, as was conducted for Mr. Hegseth.
(President Trump’s transition team considered using private investigators to circumvent FBI background checks, but later signed an agreement with the Justice Department allowing such checks.) Nonetheless, it was unclear whether all of Trump’s appointees were undergoing this process. )
Candidates must also complete an Office of Government Ethics document known as OGE Form 278, which examines any potential conflicts of interest the candidate may have in running the agency. Many of these forms have been released in recent days, including one for Marco Rubio, President Trump’s pick for Secretary of State.
The questionnaire asks about the candidate’s financial background, including assets held, forms of income, and gifts received. Potential conflict does not disqualify someone. However, candidates must address this issue in some way through a formal ethics agreement with the federal government. For example, corporate executives appointed to top positions are required to sell stock on a regular basis.
“Ethics agreements are often one of the most complex and important parts of the entire candidate screening process,” said Norman Eisen, a former ethics official in the Obama administration. “This is where, for example, previous employers or clients or current financial interests are identified and steps are taken to prevent the candidate from working on certain or other issues they are involved with.”
Scott Bessent, President Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary who made millions as an investor and hedge fund manager, announced plans Saturday to divest from dozens of funds, trusts and investments.
President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, said she adjusted her stock portfolio to avoid any risk of conflict with the Food and Drug Administration’s work, especially since she will oversee the agency’s work.
“There was an extensive forensic audit of our finances,” she said, referring to the vetting by the Senate Finance Committee, one of the panels that checks the backgrounds of nominees for Health and Human Services secretary. “You get policy briefings and you get asked, ‘What did you do about this?’ when you sold your house about 10 years ago.”
Meetings with Senate staff and confirmation hearings
It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that Senate committees began requiring candidates to meet in person.
Candidates are vetted by the committee that oversees the institution they hope to lead. For example, Bondi, the president-elect’s nominee for attorney general, is being evaluated by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Initially, the committee may ask the candidate to provide a disclosure form for staff to review or may ask to meet with staff in person. Candidates may be asked about their policy positions during formal confirmation hearings.
John Ratcliffe, President Trump’s pick to head the CIA, provided background documents to Senate Intelligence Committee staff ahead of hearings this week.
The candidate’s interaction with the committee culminates in the hearing, the most dramatic and visible part of the confirmation process. At a public hearing, candidates first pledge to speak truthfully and then deliver an opening statement to the committee outlining their priorities and experiences, which are typically relevant to the job they want. Committee members from both parties have limited time to ask questions of the candidates.
Some candidates face multiple hearings due to their broad portfolio of potential jobs. For example, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is expected to have hearings before both the Senate Health Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.
Senators may also request additional information after the hearing, known as a Question of Record, or QFR.
Committee and Senate Votes
After the confirmation hearing, the committee votes on whether to recommend the nominee to the full Senate, which then formally holds a final confirmation vote. Lawmakers can debate nominees in the Senate before a final vote is held. Confirmation requires the approval of a majority of senators.
Sen. John Tower, a Texas Republican, was the last Cabinet nominee to be rejected by the Senate. Mr. Tower was selected as Secretary of Defense by President George H. W. Bush, but was rejected in part because of allegations of excessive drinking.
Julian E. Barnes contributed to the report.
