For a second day in a row, the U.S. Senate is weighing nominees for key positions in President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet, grilling candidates on their backgrounds and qualifications.
Wednesday was a busy day for the Senate as it held hearings for six Trump nominees, including Sen. Marco Rubio, his pick for secretary of state, and Pam, his nominee for the attorney general seat. Bundy and other heavyweights.
The hearing comes as congressional Republican leaders hope to get Trump off to a good start in his second term, which begins on Monday.
Top cabinet positions require Senate approval, with 53 seats held by Republicans and 45 held by Democrats.
Still, controversial nominees will need as many votes as possible to succeed in their appointment. Wednesday's hearing, for example, comes a day after intense litigation in which senators pressed Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegers, over allegations of excessive drinking and sexual assault.
Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday's testimony before the Senate.
Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida, pledged during his testimony that if appointed as secretary of state, he would put U.S. interests "above all else."
Rubio also displayed a hawkish style of foreign policy, denouncing China as the "biggest threat" facing the United States in the 21st century.
"If we don't change course, we're going to live in a world where the things that matter to us every day, from our security to our health, will depend on whether China allows us to have it," Rubio said.
He added that China had "achieved its status as a global superpower through repression, lying, cheating, hacking and stealing."
Wednesday's comments are consistent with Rubio's consistent approach to a confrontational approach toward U.S. rivals.
Still, he praised U.S. alliances such as NATO, contrasting with Trump's own more aggressive posture.
"The NATO alliance is a very important alliance. I believe that," he said.
"Without the NATO alliance, the Cold War would not have ended. In fact, without the NATO alliance, much of Europe as we know it today would likely have fallen victim to aggression."
But he echoed Trump's position that other NATO allies "need to contribute more to their own defense" and rely less on U.S. support.
At a separate hearing, Trump-appointed CIA director John Ratcliffe assured lawmakers that he would not persecute members of the intelligence community because of insufficient loyalty to Trump.
Ratcliffe said of his goals as CIA director: "We will conduct insightful, objective, all-source analysis and never allow political or personal bias to cloud our judgment or influence our products. "
Ratcliffe is a former federal prosecutor who served as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) during Trump's first term (2017-2021).
Like Rubio, Ratcliffe is expected to go through the confirmation process smoothly. But senators are concerned that top law enforcement officials selected by Trump may seek to use their power for political purposes.
Ratcliffe has previously pledged to "cleanse our national security and intelligence agencies of corrupt elements."
On Wednesday, he faced direct questions about whether the process would weed out employees based on political preferences.
"Would you or any of your staff put political litmus tests on CIA employees?" asked Senator Angus King.
"No," Ratcliffe replied. He insisted that firing employees because of their views was "something I would never do."
Trump's pick for attorney general is expected to be one of the most controversial, given the president-elect's long-standing insistence that he will prosecute political opponents during his second term.
That put Bundy under scrutiny during Wednesday's Senate hearing.
She tried to allay those concerns with some of her remarks, insisting that "politics must be taken out of the system."
"No one should be prosecuted for political purposes," she added. As attorney general, she will become the federal government's top prosecutor.
But when asked whether he would investigate specific figures such as former special counsel Jack Smith, Bundy declined to provide a clear answer.
"It would be irresponsible for me to commit to anything," she said when asked about Smith, who led two criminal prosecutions against Trump.
Bondi has previously responded to Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen due to massive fraud and voting irregularities.
On Wednesday, she said she would evaluate potential pardons for those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol "on a case-by-case basis."
Sean Duffy, Trump's pick to be transportation secretary, said in relatively tame testimony that he would look for a way to make electric vehicles (EVs) pay for road maintenance largely funded by gas taxes .
He also claimed that top US plane maker Boeing needs "tough love" to meet adequate safety standards.
"I think we have to make sure they are implementing their safety plans," Duffy said, adding that the aerospace company needed to "restore global confidence in its brand."
The comments come as Boeing faces ongoing scrutiny following in-flight safety incidents in 2024 and accusations of fraud.
“We have to push the (Federal Aviation Administration) to make sure they are implementing their safety programs,” said Duffy, a former lobbyist, television personality and U.S. House member.