(A)Political January 18th

Good morning everyone,

2 days to go, and Donald Trump will be sworn in for a second term. Let’s dig in!

Senate confirmation hearings began for the likes of Hegseth (Defense), Rubio (State), Ratcliffe (CIA), and others who are aiming to get their respective cabinet positions. Tijuana, Mexico is bracing for mass deportations under Trump, and took the measure of declaring a state of emergency to help mitigate the expected number of migrants to arrive. Tik-Tok’s shelf life is set to expire in less than 24 hours.

• Senate Confirmation Process Begins For Cabinet Picks

• Anticipation of Mass Deportation Under Trump Trigger State of Emergency in Tijuana, Mexico

• Tik-Tok To Disappear Tomorrow

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Cabinet Hearings Take Place For Trump’s Top Roles

_{By: Timothy Spencer, Residing Fellow & Contributor for Atlas}

Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominations faced hearings this week to fill the nation’s top government positions. These hearings included nominees such as Pete Hegseth (Secretary of Defense), Kristi Noem (Secretary of Homeland Security), Pam Bondi (Deputy Attorney General), Sean Duffy (Secretary of Transportation), John Ratcliffe (CIA Director), Marco Rubio (Secretary of State), and others.

The first hearing was for former Army National Guard Major and Fox News host Pete Hegseth. During his opening remarks, Hegseth was interrupted three times by protesters, who were promptly removed by Capitol Police. His hearing lasted about 4½ hours and was contentious from the outset. One ranking member of the Armed Forces Committee bluntly stated that Hegseth was unqualified to lead the Defense Department and its 3 million service members. Others praised him for bringing fresh ideas and a strong commitment to reinstating the “warrior ethos” and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Hegseth’s confirmation vote is scheduled for inauguration day.

On Wednesday, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem appeared before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. She was questioned on a wide range of topics, with particular focus on border security. When asked by Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) who would oversee border operations, Noem responded, “The President.” She confirmed that former ICE Director Tom Homan would have a direct line to the president but emphasized that ultimate orders would come from Donald Trump.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi had her first of two hearings before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. Bondi fielded numerous legal hypotheticals, which she repeatedly declined to answer. She sparred with lawmakers on several occasions, showcasing her sharp litigation skills and confident demeanor.

Next up was former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy, who testified before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Duffy expressed his desire to leave a legacy of improving safety in areas such as Boeing oversight and U.S. infrastructure.

Trump’s former Director of National Intelligence, John Ratcliffe, appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee to make his case for leading the CIA. Ratcliffe addressed pressing global issues, including the adversarial nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), transnational criminal organizations, Iran’s nuclear program, and the Russo-Ukrainian War. He emphasized his readiness to confront these challenges immediately, citing his extensive experience in intelligence and his service on multiple intelligence committees in Congress.

Finally, Florida Senator Marco Rubio faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State. Having previously served on the committee, Rubio received bipartisan praise, making his hearing the least controversial of all the nominations. During the session, protesters interrupted his opening remarks, to which Rubio humorously responded that they were bilingual after one outburst occurred in Spanish. A key moment in his hearing was his reaffirmation that Cuba remains a state sponsor of terrorism due to its ties to narco-terrorism.

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