Vice President-elect JD Vance will make the rounds with GOP senators later this week to introduce them to former-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump’s picks to head the Justice and Defense departments.
GOP senators say that Vance, a Republican from Ohio who was elected to the Senate in 2022, is taking the lead in reaching out to shore up support for Trump’s controversial nominees.
A source familiar with Vance’s schedule said he is arranging meetings between key GOP senators and Gaetz and Hegseth.
Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the Trump-Vance transition, said Trump’s team wants to lay the groundwork for Trump’s Cabinet picks to be confirmed as quickly as possible next year.
“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,” he said.
“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,” he added.
Two Republican senators, Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), have already expressed misgivings about Gaetz’s nomination to serve as attorney general.
Many GOP senators were initially unfamiliar with Hegseth, a Fox News host, when his nomination was announced last week.
