Main findings of the first confirmation hearings for Biden’s nominees

“To be effective, the DNI should never shy away from speaking the truth to power – even, especially, when doing so can be inconvenient or difficult,” said Haines at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. “To safeguard the integrity of our intelligence community, the DNI must insist that when it comes to intelligence, there is simply no place for politics.”

Notably, Haines, a former senior CIA official and vice president for national security to President Barack Obama, was introduced by Dan Coats, Trump’s first national intelligence director and former Republican senator.

Coats, who repeatedly collided with Trump over Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections, emphasized “Haines’ commitment to bringing non-politicized truth to power and restoring confidence in the intelligence community and the American public.”

Blinken also said during his confirmation hearing that the State Department “has to be” a non-partisan institution, drastically breaking with its predecessor, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has repeatedly engaged in political activities while serving as America’s chief diplomat. .

Yellen shows Biden’s economic agenda

Yellen, named Biden to head the Treasury Department, told lawmakers that, if confirmed, her main focus will be on the needs of America’s workers and on another coronavirus aid package.

“I will be focused from the first day on providing support to workers in America and small businesses, putting into practice as quickly and efficiently as possible the relief in the bill that has already been approved and then, over time, working for a second package that I think we need to get through these dark times before the vaccination program allows us to get back to life as we knew it, “Yellen told the Senate Finance Committee during its confirmation hearing.

Yellen also reaffirmed that Biden eventually “wants to repeal parts of the 2017 tax cuts that have benefited the most wealthy Americans and large companies”, as well as “reversing the law’s incentives for offshore operations”. But she added that Biden was “very clear” in saying that he does not support a complete repeal of the 2017 tax law.

Mayorkas says it will take time to undo Trump’s policies and pledges to take a break from building the border wall

Biden’s appointee to lead the Department of Homeland Security reiterated Biden’s commitment to stop building the wall on the southern border of the United States.

“President-elect Biden is committed to stop funding for the construction of the border wall. I would execute President-elect Biden’s commitment to comply with the laws that guide us,” Mayorkas said during the hearing. He dodged questions about whether he thinks physical barriers along the southern border will be broken down or removed.

Mayorkas also said that dismantling existing immigration policies created under Trump will take time. He also told lawmakers that he does not recommend paying funds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“I think President-elect Biden and the people who will join his next government have talked about the fact that there is a commitment to follow our asylum laws to enforce our asylum laws, and that means providing humanitarian aid to those individuals who qualify for the law, “said Mayorkas. “This cannot be accomplished with just the touch of a button and turned on and on the first day (.)”

Dealing with threats of domestic terrorism and conspiracy theories

Both Haines and Mayorkas addressed continuing concerns about domestic terrorism and the spread of conspiracy theories during their hearings – held in Congress hallways less than two weeks after pro-Trump protesters stormed the Capitol building.

Haines said he was “concerned and obviously empathetic” for those working at Capitol at the time, calling the images “disturbing”. She also said she would work with the FBI and DHS to produce a public assessment of the threat that QAnon poses to the United States.

Mayorkas said the threat of domestic extremism “is one of the biggest challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security and has unique capabilities to meet that challenge”.

“If I have the honor to be confirmed, I will do everything I can to ensure that the tragic loss of life, the assault on the police authorities, the desecration of the building that remains one of the three pillars of our democracy, and the terror that you felt, his colleagues, employees and everyone present, will not happen again, “said Mayorkas.

“The Department of Defense’s job is to keep America safe from our enemies,” said Austin. “But we cannot do that if some of these enemies are within our own ranks.”

The next government’s approach to China, Iran and Israel

Almost all of the nominees who participated in Tuesday’s confirmation hearings predicted the Biden government’s approach to China.

Blinken said at his Senate Foreign Affairs Committee confirmation hearing Tuesday afternoon that “there is no doubt” that China “represents the most significant challenge for any nation-state to the United States”. He also said bluntly that Trump was right to take a tougher approach to China, although he does not agree with the tactics of the Trump administration.

Blinken said the United States needs to “start by approaching China from a position of strength, not weakness”. Part of that strength, he said, was working with allies and engaging with international institutions.

Austin said during his hearing that he saw China as a “pace challenge” for the Department of Defense.

And on Tuesday morning, Haines said he supports an “aggressive stance” to deal with China – one that is “more assertive than in the Obama-Biden administration”.

She called China “a challenge to our security, to our prosperity, to our values ​​on a number of issues” and said that the intelligence community’s approach to China “must evolve”.

Yellen told lawmakers that, if confirmed, she would not relax the US approach to China, promising to face “China’s abusive, unfair and illegal practices”.

“China is hurting American companies by dumping products, raising trade barriers and providing subsidies to corporations,” she said.

The nominees also detailed how the new government hopes to approach Iran.

Haines said that while the next Biden government has indicated that it would return to the table with Iran if Tehran resumes its nuclear deal with Iran, she noted that “frankly, we are a long way from that.”

Blinken said the new government has “an urgent responsibility to do everything we can to prevent Iran from acquiring … (a) weapons or getting close to the ability to have the fissile material to explode in the short term”, but did not offer specific measures regarding the return to the nuclear agreement with Iran.

And Austin said he thinks “Iran’s behavior continues to be destabilizing”.

Blinken and Austin previewed their next government’s approach to Israel.

The designated secretary of state told senators that the new administration recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and said it would leave the US embassy in the contested holy city.

And the two praised the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize relations between Israel and other countries in the Middle East.

Austin also said he thinks the recent agreements between several countries in the region to normalize relations with Israel are “a good thing”.

“I think that certainly put a little more pressure on Iran and I hope it will have good effects,” he added.

Blinken said that while applauding the Abraham Agreements established during Trump’s tenure in office, it represented an opportunity to “create a greater sense of trust and security in Israel when considering his relationship with the Palestinians. Because, whether we like it or not, they like it or not, it’s not just leaving. “

LGBTQ Commitments

“This is a matter, I think, of real urgency,” said Blinken of the envoy’s position, which was left empty under Trump. “We have seen violence directed against LGBTQI people around the world increase. We have seen, I believe, the largest number of murders of transgender people, especially women of color, that we have ever seen. States that play the role that they should play in defending and defending the rights of LGBTQI people is something that the department will assume and assume immediately. “

Historical diversity among nominees

If confirmed, nominees include the first female director of national intelligence, the first female secretary of the treasury, the first Hispanic chief and first DHS immigrant and the first black chief of the Pentagon.

This story was updated with further developments on Tuesday.