Washington, Jan 15 (AP) Senate hearings are scheduled this week for several of Trump's picks for the Cabinet. Many nominees have met with senators individually. Now, they'll go before the committees overseeing the agencies Trump wants them to run.

Here's the latest: Bondi refuses to answer whether she would seek to prosecute Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith Bondi refused to answer whether she would seek to prosecute Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who charged the president-elect with federal crimes in two separate criminal cases.

Bondi said she would not “answer hypotheticals,” adding: “No one has been prejudged".

Smith has long been the target of Trump's fury over the cases accusing the Republican of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss and hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Smith abandoned the two cases against Trump in November, citing the Justice Department policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.

Democrats have raised concerns about a Fox News appearance in 2023 in which Bondi said: “The prosecutors will be prosecuted - the bad ones.” Wright stands by statement that he believes wildfires are just hype California Sen. Alex Padilla asked Chris Wright if he still believes “wildfires are just hype” since two massive blazes in Southern California have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

“You've written that the hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies,” Padilla said. “And given the devastation that we're currently experiencing in Los Angeles, do you still believe that wildfires are just hype?” Wright, Trump's energy secretary nominee, said he stood by his past comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off.

Padilla said, “tell that to the families of the more than two dozen lost in these fires and counting”.

Scientists say climate change means more frequent and intense wildfires, with drought-like conditions in the western United States more likely.

Protestors interrupted Wright's confirmation hearing multiple times, one yelling that “LA is burning” and another shouting “I'm 18 years old and I want a future!” Rubio says the president has option to use military force to stop Mexican drug cartels at the border Trump's secretary of state nominee, Marco Rubio, carefully navigated a GOP question about whether he would support the use of military force on the southern border to stop Mexican drug cartels.

“That's an option the president has at his disposal. Obviously, it's not one that is in the purview of the Department of State,” Rubio said in response to a question from GOP Sen. Dave McCormick.

He added that there's a lot the US can do “in close partnership with our allies in Mexico” to “confront this challenge”.

Bondi evades question asking if she characterises January 6 rioters as hostages and patriots When asked whether she agrees with Trump's characterisation of the January 6 rioters as “hostages” and “patriots", Bondi said she was not familiar with those comments, which the president-elect made repeatedly on the campaign trail.

When pressed again on that question, Bondi repeated she was not familiar with it. Trump made a central part of his campaign an effort to rewrite the history of the January 6 attack and downplay the violence that left more than 100 police officers injured.

Bondi dodges question on whether she'd uphold TikTok ban Asked by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., about whether she'd enforce a ban on the social media platform TikTok, Trump's pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, declined to answer.

“That's pending litigation,” Bondi replied.

TikTok's parent company is in litigation before the Supreme Court over whether a law passed by Congress in a bipartisan vote and signed by President Joe Biden will be upheld. The company has said that it would shutdown in the US on January 19 to comply with the law.

President-elect Donald Trump was critical of the social media app in the past but has recently made comments that are sceptical of a ban.

Rubio argues US must rebuild industrial base to reduce dependence on Chinese goods To compete with China, Rubio argued that the efforts must start at home to rebuild its industrial base and to reduce US dependence on Chinese goods and industrial supply chains. He urged action at home, or the US could “wind up living in a world where much of what we depend on for our security, our health, our safety, and our economic prosperity, we're largely depend on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not".

He signalled during the hearing that he would align with the president-elect not to restrict US investments overseas, calling it “a pretty unfair relationship” if US companies are restricted but the Chinese competitors are not.

Duffy says US is falling behind in the race to develop self-driving, autonomous vehicles Sean Duffy says that the US risks falling behind other countries in the race to develop self-driving, autonomous vehicles if the federal government doesn't come up with rules over the technology, leaving that up to the states as is currently the situation.

“Without clear rules , or a patchwork of rules state by state, we put ourselves behind those countries that allow innovators” to develop the technology, said Duffy, Trump's pick for transportation secretary.

Chinese automakers in particular are threatening US automakers in the field of autonomous vehicles. Elon Musk's Tesla and other automakers are hoping the Trump administration will develop rules on a federal level to help speed development of the technology.

Rubio says he's hopeful a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas can be concluded quickly And he said Gaza's post-conflict future will require international cooperation to succeed.

Rubio, Trump's nominee for secretary of state, also told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he believed there are now opportunities for broader stability in the Middle East with recent developments in Lebanon and Syria.

“I am hopeful that there is an agreement in place that will bring hostages back immediately,” Rubio said of potential for a Gaza agreement negotiators continue to hash out in Qatar.

He said both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration should share credit for an eventual deal. “Credit to both the Biden administration and the Trump transition working side-by-side on helping this become about and I hope that comes about,” he said.

On the region more broadly, Rubio said “there are opportunities available now in the Middle East that did not exist 90 days ago”.

He referred to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and the ouster of President Bashar Assad in Syria.

“There are now factors at play in the Middle East that I think we can build upon and may open the door to extraordinary and historic opportunities, not just to provide for Israel's security, but ultimately begin to confront some of these other factors,” he said.

“But these things, again, are going to be hard work, and they'll require us to take advantage of those opportunities if they exist.” Ratcliffe supports key government surveillance program that critics say violates personal privacy John Ratcliffe, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the CIA, said he supports a key government surveillance program that authorities say is vital to national security but that critics have said it violates personal privacy.

During a confirmation hearing Wednesday, Ratcliffe told members of the Senate intelligence committee that he believes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provides essential information that can be used to prevent terrorist attacks and inform critical national security decisions. He called FISA an “indispensable national security tool”.

Ratcliffe's view puts him at odds with critics who say FISA, particularly a section known as 702, goes too far in allowing federal authorities to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country.

If those individuals are communicating with Americans, those conversations could be swept up too.

Ratcliffe said rules in place are designed to ensure American's privacy is protected.

“Is it perfect? No,” Ratcliffe said. “It is critical, it is indispensable.” Rubio affirmed his support for Taiwan, advocating for the porcupine' approach He said “you want to make the cost of invading Taiwan higher than the benefit”.

China considers the self-governed island part of Chinese territory and vows to annex it by force if necessary. Rubio also during the hearing warned that China is a more formidable rival than the former Soviet Union because the country is a competitor in “every realm”, such as technology, industry, geopolitics and science.

Would Bondi drop a criminal case if the president asked her to? Bondi didn't directly answer when asked what she would would do if the president asked her to drop a criminal case. Bondi said she didn't believe that would ever happen.

“If I thought that would happen, I would not be sitting here today,” she said.

She also deflected initially when asked what she would do if Trump ordered her to do something unethical or illegal. “I will never, speak on a hypothetical, especially one saying that the president would do something illegal,” she said. “What I can tell you is my duty, if confirmed, as the attorney general will be to the Constitution and the United States of America.” But when pressed again, Bondi suggested she would resign if asked to do something improper.

“I wouldn't be a prosecutor, I wouldn't be attorney general if anyone asked me to do something improper and I felt I had to carry that out,” Bondi said. “Of course, I would not do that. That's one of the main things you learn when you're a young prosecutor is to do the right thing.” Ratcliffe promises not to politicise the CIA agency by requiring agents to show loyalty to Trump Members of the Senate intelligence committee grilled Ratcliffe during a confirmation hearing Wednesday, asking whether the nominee would hire or fire employees based on their politics.

They also asked Ratcliffe to promise not to politicize the CIA's work by targeting Trump foes or withholding intelligence that might displease the incoming president.

“Will you or any of your staff impose a political litmus test for CIA employees?” asked Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent.

“No,” Ratcliffe answered.

There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice,' Bondi says Bondi has repeatedly defended Trump's pick to become FBI director, Kash Patel, touting his law enforcement experience and calling him the “right person” to run the bureau at this time.

Lawmakers questioned Bondi about Patel's list of officials he's claimed are part of the so-called “deep state”, which critics have described as Patel's “enemies” list.

When asked whether Bondi would “enforce” such a list, Bondi responded: “There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice.” Bondi vowed politics will play no part in her decisions as attorney general “I believe that the Justice Department must be independent and must act independently,” Bondi said. “The number one job is to enforce the law fairly and even handedly. And that's what will be done if I am confirmed as the attorney general.” Democrat have raised concerns about Bondi's ability to lead a Justice Department that's independent from the White House, given her longstanding political support of Trump.

Bondi said no one is is above the law That came when she was pressed about remarks she made on TV claiming “the prosecutors will be prosecuted — the bad ones”.

Her remarks have raised concerns among Democrats given Trump's threats to use the agency to exact revenge on his perceived political opponents. Bondi is also echoing Trump's claims that he was prosecuted by the Justice Department for political purposes.

“They targeted Donald Trump,” launching countless investigations against him, she said. “That will not be the case if I am attorney general, I will not politicise that office.” Wright promises to implement Trump's “bold energy agenda” CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is Trump's pick to lead the Department of Energy. His nomination went before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

During the hearing, he promised to implement President-elect Donald Trump's “bold energy agenda to unleash energy security and prosperity”.

The centrepiece of Trump's energy policy is “drill, baby, drill”, and he has pledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats' “green new scam” in favour of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cause climate change when they are burned and greenhouse gases are released.

“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said. “And if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to implement his bold agenda as an unabashed steward for all sources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.” Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper called Wright an “unrestrained enthusiast for fossils fuels in almost every regard”, but noted that he studied nuclear, worked on solar energy, and is a scientist who is open to discussion.

Wright promotes the idea that more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe.

Several committee members wished him a happy birthday. Wright appeared before the committee on his 60th birthday, surrounded by family and friends.

Rubio jokes with his colleagues At the end of his opening statement, Rubio, who said it felt “surreal” to be on the other side of the Senate panel, asked for his colleagues' support to become the next secretary of state, using a bit of humour.

“Thank you and I hope I can earn your support, whether it's because you believe I would do a good job, or because you want to get rid of me,” the Florida Republican said.

“Either way, the results are the same,” Sen. James Risch, the GOP chair, joked back.

On January 6 pardons, Bondi says she'd advise Trump on a case by case basis Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi says that if she is confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump's attorney general she will advise him “on a case by case basis” regarding his pledge to pardon defendants prosecuted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Asked by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois if she believes that those defendants should be pardoned, Bondi said the pardons fall under the president. She did not say if she agreed with Trump's pledge to pardon the rioters convicted of crimes related to the riot.

The rioters were Trump supporters trying to disrupt the certification of President Joe Biden's victory. Many of them were convicted of harming police officers. “I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country,” Bondi said.

Ratcliffe promises lawmakers he is committed to expanding the agency's work while protecting American civil liberties “I have always prioritized American civil liberties – something I will continue to do,” Ratcliffe told members of the Senate intelligence committee during a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Ratcliffe said the US faces a complicated series of threats posed by adversaries such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. He said technologies like artificial intelligence and the internet are giving them new opportunities and that US spy agencies must innovate to meet the challenges.

“Today we face what may be the most challenging national security environment in our nation's history,” Ratcliffe said.

Bilingual protests At Rubio's confirmation hearing before Foreign Relations Committee, protesters in Spanish and English interrupted his opening statement, arguing about issues regarding the Middle East and Latin America.

Rubio, who would be first Latino Secretary of State if confirmed, joked, “I get bilingual protests which is kind of cool.” Bondi asked if she can say Trump lost the 2020 election The question came from Sen. Durbin, the top Democrat on the committee Bondi said she accepts “of course, that Joe Biden is the president of the United States.” She later added: “Do I accept the results? Of course I do.” Bondi supported Trump's efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 race, travelling in the days after the election to Pennsylvania, where she claimed without providing evidence that there had been “cheating".

Rubio says he'll place America's interest above all else Rubio promised Wednesday to implement President-elect Donald Trump's “America First” vision as secretary of state, vowing in his confirmation hearing that the incoming administration will forge a new path by placing American interests “above all else".

“Placing our core national interests above all else is not isolationism,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “It is the commonsense realisation that a foreign policy centred on our national interest is not some outdated relic.” Sean Duffy said he will make road safety a priority Duffy reached for the personal in assuring senators he'd make road safety a priority as head of the transportation department, noting that his wife was in a car crash that could have killed her.

“This hits close to home because my wife survived a deadly head-on car crash, which profoundly shaped her life,” said Duffy in prepared remarks to senators whom he hopes will confirm his nomination as transportation secretary.

“If confirmed, I will prioritise road safety, ensuring lives and families aren't forever changed by preventable accidents.” Ratcliffe received an introduction from former US Attorney General John Ashcroft Ashcroft, a former Republican senator from Missouri, served as attorney general under President George W. Bush.

Ashcroft cited Ratcliffe's work as a federal prosecutor in Texas and his work on national security issues as a Republican Congressman.

Ashcroft, who has worked with Ratcliffe as an attorney, said the CIA nominee is “tough but fair” and focused on upholding the Constitution.

“I've seen him speak the unvarnished truth to those he works with and those he works for,” Ashcroft said. “He understands that the intelligence community exists to secure the liberty and freedoms of Americans.” The hearing for Sean Duffy, Trump's transportation secretary pick, has begun Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, opened confirmation hearing for transportation secretary, noting someone who's likely to come up in questioning: Elon Musk.

“Now Elon Musk has launched his car in space,” said Cruz, referring to fast changing technology the transportation secretary will oversee. “A new era in transportation and infrastructure is here.” Sean Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman, reality TV star, and Fox News host, is hoping to take over the transportation department that will oversee highways, railroads, airspace and several Musk companies, including his Tesla electric car company.

Ratcliffe would be the first person to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and CIA John Ratcliffe, a former Republican congressman from Texas, served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term. He's now Trump's pick to lead the CIA, the nation's premier spy agency. Ratcliffe's nomination went before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

His experience is likely to boost his chances in the Senate. Trump's pick to be the next director of national intelligence, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, faces a more challenging confirmation, as lawmakers from both parties have raised questions about 2017 visits to former Syrian President Bashar Assad, as well comments that support Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

The GOP chairman sees Trump and Rubio as a team to end the Ukraine war In his opening statements, Sen. Jim Risch, the Republican chair of the Foreign Relations committee, outlined the various objectives the new GOP majority in Washington has abroad, including ending the nearly three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine.

“I am confident that if anyone can end this war, it's President Trump. And Marco is the right man to help ensure it is done in a way that guarantees security and stability for Ukraine, the US, and our allies, and prevents Russia from launching another war,” the Idaho lawmaker said.

Bondi touted her experience as Florida's attorney general That includes her efforts to combat human trafficking and opioid abuse.

When she was the state's top prosecutor, she framed pictures of victims of the opioid crisis that she was given by grieving parents, Bondi said.

“Fentanyl is raging through our country and I will do everything I can to fight that,” she said.

Marco Rubio, Trump's Secretary of State pick, appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee The 53-year-old's nomination process is expected to be the most seamless of Trump's Cabinet picks and could be one of the few to receive near unanimous support from both sides of the aisle.

Bondi says she'll restore confidence and integrity' to the Justice Department And she said she'll end what she described as “weaponisation” of the department. Bondi's remarks echo those of Trump and other Republicans, who claim the Justice Department has been used for political purposes under the Biden administration.

The Justice Department brought two criminal cases against Trump, but also prosecuted President Biden's son, Hunter, on gun and tax charges.

Like Trump, Bondi said: “I believe we are on the cusp of a New Golden age' where the Department of Justice can and will do better if I am confirmed.” Bondi says her priorities as attorney general would include prosecuting violent crime and gangs Those priorities would also include protecting the nation from terrorists and “addressing the overwhelming crisis at the border”, she said.

“The Department of Justice must also return to defending the foundational rights of all Americans, including free speech, free exercise of religion, and the right to bear arms,” Bondi told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Sen. Tom Cotton says US spy agencies must do a better job of responding to terrorism As President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the CIA prepares to take questions from lawmakers, the new chairman of the Senate intelligence committee says America's spy agencies need to do a better job responding to growing threats of terrorism.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, said the nation's intelligence officials often work in difficult, dangerous environments with little public recognition. But he said recent events like the attack in New Orleans show they must do more to identify threats before they turn lethal.

“In these dangerous times, our intelligence agencies haven't anticipated major events or detected impending attacks,” Cotton said. “I could give other examples but suffice it to say we're too often in the dark.... The CIA has neglected its core mission.” Cotton's comments came at the start of a confirmation hearing for John Ratcliffe, Trump's nominee for CIA director. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term. He's a former Republican member of Congress.

The committee's top Democrat wants to know if Bondi can tell Trump no The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee says he wants to know whether Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi will be able to tell President-elect Donald Trump “no".

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin says it's critical that any attorney general nominee be “committed first and foremost to the Constitution and the American people — not the president and his political agenda”.

Durbin noted that Trump has vowed to seek retribution against “the enemy within” and threatened to prosecute or jail some of his political opponents and that Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, has echoed those calls.

Grassley says change is desperately needed' at the Justice Department He listed a litany of complaints about the Justice Department under Attorney General Merrick Garland, including the criminal cases brought against Trump and the FBI's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

The Justice Department abandoned the cases against Trump in November, citing the department's policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Grassley urged a swift confirmation of Bondi, saying her prosecutorial experience “speaks volumes about her character and her dedication to the rule of law”.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says Bondi's qualifications speak for themselves The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee highlighted Bondi's work as Florida attorney general, going after so-called “pill mills” and other initiatives. She became Florida's first female attorney general in 2011, serving until 2019.

The confirmation hearing is getting underway for Trump's attorney general pick, Pam Bondi Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, corporate lobbyist and longtime fixture in Trump's orbit, is expected to face questions over her loyalty to Trump, given his threats to seek revenge on his perceived political enemies.

Today's Cabinet confirmation schedule 9:30 a.m.: Pam Bondi, Justice Department The former Florida attorney general makes the first of two scheduled appearances before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was Trump's pick for attorney general hours after his first choice, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration. Gaetz was facing questions about a federal sex trafficking investigation and a House Ethics Committee inquiry into allegations that he paid for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl.

Bondi is a longtime fixture in Trump's orbit. The attorney general will be one of the most closely watched Cabinet members, given the concern among Democrats that Trump will look to bend the Justice Department to his will.

10 a.m.: Sean Duffy, Transportation Department The former Wisconsin congressman who was also a co-host on Fox Business will be questioned by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The department oversees pipelines, railroads, cars, trucks, airlines and mass transit systems, as well as funding for highways.

10 a.m.: John Ratcliffe, CIA Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence for the final months of Trump's first term, goes before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The former Texas congressman is in line to lead the nation's premier spy agency, responsible for foreign covert operations and collecting data on US adversaries.

10 a.m.: Marco Rubio, State Department The Florida senator has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is considering his nomination to be secretary of state. As head of the State Department, job, Rubio would oversee the US foreign service, advise Trump on diplomatic appointments and conduct negotiations with foreign leaders on behalf of the administration.

10 a.m.: Chris Wright, Energy Department The fossil fuel executive, who has been one of the industry's loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change, appears before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The secretary oversees energy generation and use in the United States as well as the nation's nuclear weapon stockpile. Wright would also join Burgum on the National Energy Council.

1 p.m.: Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget Vought, OMB director during Trump's first term, goes before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump's second term that the Republican nominee tried to distance himself from during the campaign. The budget director oversee the building of the president's budget and review of proposed regulations. (AP) PY PY