As the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings continue for President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks, PolitiFact is live fact-checking the hearings for FBI

To achieve the big agenda he’s laid out for his second term, President Donald Trump is leaning heavily on the unilateral powers he wields as the head of the executive branch of government. But for anything requiring or having to do with money,

Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, is to encounter deeply skeptical questioning from Democratic senators about his loyalty to the president and stated desire to overhaul the bureau as he faces a high-stakes hearing that will help determine his path toward confirmation.

Tulsi Gabbard, President Trump's pick for director of national intelligence, faces tough questions from senators on Russia, Syria and Edward Snowden.

Patel is a controversial nominee, having long raged against the so-called Deep State and prioritized his loyalty to Trump.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a key role to help President Donald Trump fulfill his pledge to roll back major environmental regulations, including those aimed at slowing climate change and encouraging use of electric vehicles.

The resolution was defeated 21-14 after a trio of Senate Democrats denounced the culture of law-breaking and dehumanization they attributed to Trump.

Other polls have shown that Trump has topped his approval ratings since his first term. Gallup's most recent poll showed that Trump's approval rating currently stands at 47 percent, up from 45 percent at the beginning of his first term.

Zeldin, 44, is from New York. He served eight years in Congress and lost a race for governor in 2022. He is expected to push deregulation.

The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate Budget Committee will move ahead on confirming President Donald Trump's pick for budget chief Russell Vought despite calls from top Democrats for a delay after an order halting all federal grants and loans.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the panel's top Democrat asked U.S. President Donald Trump to detail his rationale for firing 18 inspectors general that provide oversight at U.S. government agencies.