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Republicans are pushing for swift confirmation of Trump’s national security nominees.
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They say it’s even more necessary after this week’s deadly New Orleans attack.
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Some of those nominees are among Trump’s most controversial picks.
In the wake of the deadly New Orleans attack, top Republicans are calling on the Senate to swiftly confirm President-elect Donald Trump’s national security nominees.
Fifteen people are confirmed dead after an individual drove a car through a crowd on Bourbon Street early on Wednesday morning. The FBI has identified a suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, and the attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
“This is a clear example of why the Senate must get President Trump’s national security team in place as quickly as possible,” wrote Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the incoming Senate Majority Leader.
While some of Trump’s national-security nominees are expected to be easily confirmed by the US Senate, others have faced a variety of controversies.
They include defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, FBI director nominee Kash Patel, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence.
“The U.S. Senate must confirm President Trump’s national security team as soon as possible,” wrote Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the incoming majority whip. “Lives depend on it.”
Hegseth has faced accusations of sexual assault as well as scrutiny of his previous opposition to women serving in combat roles in the military. He has denied those accusations and recently said that he supports women serving in combat roles.
“I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate Republican, told reporters after meeting with Hegseth last month.
Gabbard, meanwhile, has faced suspicions over her foreign policy positions and her 2017 visit to Syria, where she met with then-President Bashar Al-Assad.
“I’ve heard that she’s not very well prepared,” one anonymous GOP senator told The Hill last month.
Patel has faced little public skepticism from Republican senators so far, but has promoted conspiracy theories and has said he would “come after” journalists.
The Senate is expected to consider those nominees, along with the others, in the coming weeks. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for January 14.
The Trump-Vance transition did not respond to a request for comment.
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