Welcome to the online edition of From the Politics Desk, our evening newsletter that brings you the latest reporting and analysis from the NBC News political team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.
In today’s edition, senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur explains how confirmation hearings for Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees, which begin tomorrow, will test the early loyalties of Senate Republicans. Plus, senior national reporter Matt Dixon breaks down how Ron DeSantis is preparing Florida for President Trump’s looming immigration crackdown.
— Adam Wollner, Deputy Political Editor
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Confirmation hearing to offer Senate Republicans early testing for President Trump sparks blizzard
Written by Sahil Kapur
Tuesday’s kickoff to President-elect Donald Trump’s highly successful confirmation hearings for his Cabinet will focus primarily on a select group of candidates facing upheaval.
But the new Republican-led Senate will also be in the spotlight for an early glimpse of how it will perceive Trump’s intentions for a second term.
Each candidate needs 50 votes for approval, so a Republican defection is only a three-vote difference before a Democratic vote is needed.
The hearing will test whether the derailment of Matt Gaetz’s short-lived bid for attorney general was a one-time veto or a sign that Senate Republicans are flexing their advice-and-consent muscles. It will be. Since then, Trump and his allies have been pressuring senators to support the remaining nominees. Are they prepared to attend public hearings, ask tough questions, and vote no if they are dissatisfied? Or do we go in with the intention of reaching a “yes”, even if it means avoiding difficult questions and putting aside concerns?
Some have vowed to follow President Trump’s choice. “I support all of these candidates,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
And then there are people like Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), whose skepticism about President Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, is well documented. Although she is not alone, Ms. Ernst faces re-election in 2026 and risks becoming a primary candidate if she stands in front of Mr. Trump.
President Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, remains a source of concern on both sides due to her past dealings with former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. There is little evidence that she soothed them. As part of damage control, Gabbard recently reversed her position on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, endorsing the controversial spying power.
And a long history of vaccine skepticism and support for abortion rights poses problems in both parties for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is seeking to become Secretary of Health and Human Services.
With about a dozen hearings scheduled this week ahead of President Trump’s inauguration next Monday, the Senate is bracing for “a bit of a train wreck” in the coming days, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). ) said.
Some of President Trump’s choices, most notably the nomination of Marco Rubio, now a senator from Florida, for secretary of state, are likely to pass with a large number of Democratic votes.
But for more controversial picks, Republican senators will have to decide how much to risk upsetting their relationship with President Trump as he seeks to form and run a new administration.
Read more about the start of confirmation hearings →
Preparations begin for immigration crackdown in President Trump’s backyard
President-elect Donald Trump has not yet released all the details about how his day-one executive order will pave the way for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants that has been a core part of his campaign. .
But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had been briefed and was mobilizing the entire state to align with the incoming administration’s goals.
On Monday, DeSantis called the state Legislature into a special session starting Jan. 27 to pass sweeping immigration legislation aimed at aligning it with executive orders that President Trump is expected to sign shortly after taking office. It was the purpose of the department. Matt Dixon reports from Tallahassee. DeSantis said he spoke privately with the president-elect about policy ideas.
“We’re going to adjust what we’re doing to reflect what their policies are going to be,” DeSantis told reporters. The Florida governor didn’t delve into too much detail about what he’s hearing from the incoming administration, but said he expects President Trump will likely expand the so-called 287(g) program.
This is a program that allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to delegate to local authorities the authority to perform some duties normally reserved for federal immigration officials.
The current program allows states and localities to “opt in” to the program, but DeSantis has announced that the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature will use his special session to make the program mandatory. I’m looking forward to it. A final decision on the text will be made after President Trump issues an executive order.
“We’re going to say that sheriffs and local governments will be part of 287(g),” he said.
Some of President Trump’s big policy goals require new legislation, a process that is expected to take time, but there is plenty of room for the new administration to take unilateral action on immigration. NBC News reports that this is part of the company’s first wave of anti-immigration efforts, which could include high-profile workplace attacks.
🗞️ Today’s Top News
➡️ A new approach: Leaders in business, the media, and the Democratic Party at large who once avoided or fought Trump are now trying to strengthen relationships or extend olive branches in the lead-up to Trump’s second term. There is. Continue reading →📜 Jack Smith Report Latest: Federal Judge Eileen Cannon has released a book-length report by former special counsel Jack Smith on President Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The Justice Department’s request for an extension of an injunction barring publication was denied. Smith resigned from the Justice Department over the weekend. Continue reading →👀 Hope for a ceasefire: A ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas is “on the brink of becoming a reality,” President Joe Biden said on Monday. Continue reading →⚫ California wildfires: California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom appeared on “Meet the Press” over the weekend, saying the state’s wildfires could become one of the worst natural disasters in the country’s history He pushed back against President Trump’s criticism. Meanwhile, Trump’s team is discussing a possible visit to Los Angeles. Continue reading →💲 Student Loan Relief: Biden announced that his administration has approved student loan relief for more than 150,000 borrowers, bringing the total number of people whose student loans have been canceled to more than 5 million. Read more → ⚖️ Excuse me? Vice President-elect J.D. Vance told “Fox News Sunday” that protesters who “perpetrated violence” during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot should not be pardoned. Continue reading →📵 States: State lawmakers across the country are proposing bills to ban or restrict the use of cell phones in public schools. Read more →
That’s all from the political desk for now. Today’s newsletter was edited by Adam Wallner, Scott Brand, and Bridget Bowman.
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