Confirmation delays stack up for Trump nominees as paperwork lags in federal offices

A number of President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for his second-term Cabinet have seen their scheduled confirmation hearings postponed, with Senate committees citing outstanding documents. 

Hearings for Doug Collins, tapped to serve as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was chosen for Secretary of the Interior, were set for Tuesday as part of the Trump transition team and Senate Republicans’ ambitious effort to confirm Trump’s Cabinet. 

However, they were delayed at the last minute. This meant two of the three slated Tuesday hearings were pushed, leaving only one hearing for Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth that day. 

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Some of President-elect Trump’s nominees, like Governors Doug Burgum and Kristi Noem, have seen their confirmation hearings delayed. (Getty Images)

While more confirmation hearings took shape on Wednesday — including those for Secretary of Energy pick Chris Wright, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, CIA director selection John Ratcliffe, Transportation Secretary nominee Sean Duffy and Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio — another key hearing for Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., was postponed. 

According to a source familiar, Noem had completed all necessary paperwork in a timely manner, but the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) is still waiting for the FBI’s portion. 

Despite the hearings being moved, Trump’s transition says there will not be delays in confirming his team. “There are no delays, and paperwork is being submitted quickly to ensure the confirmation process is smooth and President Trump is able to implement his agenda mandated by the American people on day one,” Taylor Rogers, Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, said in a statement.

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Trump chose VP contender Noem to lead DHS. (Getty Images)

Each of the postponed hearings has gotten a new date, with Burgum’s on Thursday and Noem’s on Friday. But Collins’ hearing will not take place until the day after Trump’s inauguration, next Tuesday. 

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hadn’t received the FBI report on Collins as of Monday afternoon, Fox News was told. All other necessary paperwork had been transmitted to the committee, though. 

A committee aide told Fox News that the delay was not Collins’ fault, emphasizing that he had submitted it all on time. 

“Congressman Doug Collins has submitted all his paperwork in a timely manner and has been transparent and forthcoming with the committee,” committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said in a Monday statement. “At this time, the FBI has not completed its customary background check of Congressman Collins. In accordance with long-standing practice, the committee should have an opportunity to review Congressman Collins’ FBI file before the confirmation hearing. I expect the FBI to complete its review quickly so that the committee can move forward with its role of evaluating the President’s nominee.”

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Collins’ hearing for Tuesday was postponed. (Erin Scott-Pool via Getty Images)

The week’s postponed hearings join others that have yet to be noticed or scheduled by committee chairs, such as those for Director of National Intelligence (DNI) pick Tulsi Gabbard, United Nations Ambassador nominee Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Secretary of Agriculture pick Brooke Rollins, among others. 

Republicans have blamed delays in paperwork processing on bureaucracy as documents were determined as the reason why confirmation hearings are postponed or unscheduled. 

One source familiar told Fox News that Senate Republicans and Trump’s transition are doing everything they can, but given the two recent federal government snow days, the document processing has fallen victim to bureaucratic hold up. 

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The FBI seal is displayed on a podium before a news conference at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

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According to a Senate Democrat source, Trump will have difficulty trying to get nominees confirmed on the day of his inauguration. “We know he wants to do so, but it will be challenging given the delays,” they told Fox News Digital. 

Waiting for paperwork was “frustrating,” a GOP source on one committee told Fox News Digital. Committees have also had difficulty trying to connect with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics regarding nominees’ documents. The source added that at times it seemed that the media had more information than the committee itself.