President-elect Donald Trump nominated Fox News host Hegseth to be the new Secretary of Defense. His hearing Tuesday, Jan. 14, was the first in a series of confirmation hearings to vet the incoming president's top choices for key leadership roles.

Democrats say Hegseth’s lack of experience, comments about women and Black troops, and allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct make him unfit to serve. Some takeaways from the hearing:

Iowa senator Joni Ernst, a veteran Republican and herself a victim of sexual assault, has been less than enthusiastic about his nomination, however. If today’s hearings indicate she still has doubts - despite intense pressure from Trump's team to fall in line behind Hegseth - it could indicate that his path to confirmation still has some obstacles.

Unpack Donald Trump’s unprecedented return to the presidency, his promise of unity and the political and historical context shaping this pivotal moment.

Plus, a higher level of intraparty cooperation, paired with his experience as a returning president, could certainly help pave the way for Trump's ambitious plans in the key first 100 days of his second term.

President-elect Donald J. Trump has a range of new business ventures that could expose him to even greater potential conflicts of interest than during his first term.

Unlike past incoming presidents, Trump knows how to get his agenda done because he already had one term sitting in the Oval Office.

Many have noticed how differently some business leaders are greeting the second Trump presidency, write Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian

The second Trump presidency is being shaped by corporate interests, with tech magnates like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos leading the charge, while Trump appointees such as Scott Bessent are bringing

Three days ahead of Trump’s return to the White House, many of his most prominent Cabinet choices have sailed relatively unscathed through their hearings and are poised to win confirmation as Republican senators rallied around them and appeared largely unwilling to defy Trump’s wishes.

The Senate is holding more confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks ahead of his return to office on Monday.

Senate confirmation hearings for the Trump cabinet continue on Thursday. They will include Doug Burgum for interior secretary, Scott Turner for housing secretary and Lee Zeldin for Environmental Protection Agency administrator at 10 a.m. Eastern, and Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary at 10:30 a.m.