Where Trump's Cabinet nominees stand in Senate confirmation process

Kennedy, Trump's nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), faced his second day of questioning on the Hill before the Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor & Pensions on Thursday. Kennedy clashed with Democratic senators over abortion and vaccines on Wednesday before the Senate Finance Committee, which will vote on his confirmation. 

Patel, Trump's nominee for FBI director, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, while Gabbard, Trump's nominee for national intelligence director, appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee. 

Once nominees have testified before relevant Senate committees, that panel votes on whether to recommend the nominee before the full Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., can then file a motion to end Senate floor debate on the nominee, triggering a cloture vote to halt deliberations. Once debate closes, senators make final confirmation votes. 

For confirmation, a nominee needs a majority in the Senate, or 51 votes. Vance can settle a tie vote, as was the case with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's confirmation. 

Stefanik joins Trump's nominees for director of Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought; secretary of Department of Housing and Urban Development, Scott Turner; and attorney general, Pam Bondi, among those who have been voted out of committee and await a vote on the Senate floor. 

Thune moved to end Senate deliberations for Energy Secretary nominee Chris Wright and Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins. Both nominees await a procedural vote on the Senate floor ahead of the confirmation vote. 

As of Thursday, the U.S. Senate has confirmed seven of Trump's Cabinet nominations, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.