Vice President-elect JD Vance will be on Capitol Hill this week arranging meetings between some of Trump’s Cabinet picks and key Republican senators who could determine their confirmations, according to two people familiar who were granted anonymity to discuss the plans.
Vance will be on Capitol Hill on Wednesday and Thursday, sitting in on some meetings with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Pete Hegseth, Trump’s picks for attorney general and Defense secretary respectively, and key senators. Some Republican senators have already expressed scrutiny over the two controversial Cabinet nominations. CNN was first to report the plans.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), nominated to be U.N. ambassador, and former Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), tapped to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs, will also be at the Capitol this week for meetings, said Brian Hughes, a Trump-Vance Transition spokesperson.
“President Trump’s incoming administration is moving at an accelerated schedule in order to make good on getting key nominees confirmed in order to start delivering for the American people,” Hughes said in a statement. “Rep. Collins (VA), Rep. Gaetz (DOJ), Pete Hegseth (DOD), and Rep. Stefanik (UN) will all begin their meetings this week with additional Hill visits to continue after the Thanksgiving recess.”