Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he would be open to entire committees viewing background checks of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees.
Traditionally, Senate committee leaders won’t share background checks with the rest of the committee leaders given how lengthy the reports can be. There is an expectation the Senate committees make their confirmations in a timely manner.
“I think that you want to have as much background as possible that is available to the committees as they make their decisions,” Thune told CBS News.
How widely background checks are conducted for Cabinet nominees has been a point of contention as Trump’s picks have garnered significant criticism.
Nearly a dozen senators are calling on the leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee to renegotiate with the incoming Trump administration in order to make Trump’s pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth’s background check available to all the panel’s members.
This comes as Hegseth faces allegations of rape, a series of accusations about his drunken behavior, and allegations he financially ruined two veteran advocacy organization groups he once led.
FBI background checks typically take weeks, but Hegseth’s will be expedited in order to be ready in time for his confirmation hearing on Jan. 14. Hegseth’s background check was delayed due to Trump’s reluctance to sign an agreement with the FBI.
So far, a total of eight Senate Armed Services Committee Democrats are pushing to see Hegseth’s background check, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
“Having more information is a positive thing, even for the Republicans,” Kelly said. “As you’ve seen, there are some that are struggling with this nomination.”
Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Susan Collins (R-ME), a possible swing vote for Hegseth, are also calling to see the FBI background check.
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But in light of the New Year’s Eve terrorist attack in New Orleans which killed 14 people, Thune said the importance of swiftly confirming Trump’s Cabinet nomination positions has only increased.
“The threat posed by ISIS will outlast this administration, and this is a clear example of why the Senate must get President Trump’s national security team in place as quickly as possible,” Thune wrote on X.