WASHINGTON – As the Republican-controlled Senate works quickly to confirm President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees, Alabama’s Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville have shown their support for all the president’s picks throughout the advice and consent process.
The Senate voted 50-50 with Vice President J.D. Vance breaking the tie to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense Friday night. Sens. Susan Collins, R-ME, Lisa Murkowski, R-AK, and Mitch McConnell, R-KY joined Democrats to oppose Hegseth.
Hegseth has faced allegations of sexual assault and alcohol abuse and had been questioned over his controversial past comments on women serving in combat roles. Senators also received an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law last week alleging he was abusive to his second wife, according to The Associated Press. Hegseth has denied the allegations and his previous wife told NBC News she did not believe the information in the affidavit to be accurate.
“Pete Hegseth is the choice, the right choice,” Tuberville said last week. “I like his age, I like his demeanor, I like the things he brings to our military. He’s exciting and he will energize this military into the next decade. And I’m excited about that.”
Tuberville has shown he is very eager to see Hegseth lead the Pentagon, rallying for him ahead of his nomination hearing and expressing support for him during that hearing.
Tuberville and Britt were also yes votes Saturday when the Senate confirmed Kristi Noem, Trump’s pick to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Britt told Alabama Daily News on Wednesday that she is hopeful Trump’s picks will pass the Senate.
“It’s time for us to get back to doing things the right way, and President Trump deserves the opportunity to have the people around him that understand his vision and that can execute on behalf of him and the American people,” Britt said.
Britt and Tuberville along with other Senate Republicans and Democrats voted to confirm Marco Rubio 99-0 for Secretary of State. John Ratcliffe was also confirmed to be Central Intelligence Agency director earlier this week.
Britt praised Pam Bondi, the attorney general nominee in the Judiciary Committee hearing. The committee will vote on Bondi Wednesday before a vote in the full Senate. Britt will get to ask questions of Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, during his nomination hearing in the Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
Great meeting today with @Kash_Patel. He has my support to serve as the next FBI Director.
Kash and I agree the Biden Department of Justice’s targeting of Americans for their political beliefs must come to an end, and it will under President Trump.
The FBI’s focus should… pic.twitter.com/FJMumN1afg
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) December 12, 2024
“I think you’ll see right off the bat, Kash answers some of the questions that have been raised in the media…immediately,” Britt told ADN. “And so I’m looking forward to him having that opportunity. He certainly did that with me in our one-on-one meeting.”
Britt also expressed optimism for secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee Scott Turner during his hearing in the Senate Banking Committee. Turner was voted out of committee 13-11 Thursday.
Tuberville questioned Doug Collins, VA Secretary nominee, in the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture nominee, in the Agriculture Committee hearing earlier this week.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who’s tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, will have nomination hearings this week. RFK Jr. will go in front of the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Thursday. Tuberville is a member of that committee.