Three Trump nominees’ confirmation hearings delayed due to ‘paperwork’, red tape

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee was initially scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning. The hearing for the Homeland Security Secretary nominee has been postponed until 9 am Friday morning.

A person familiar with the matter told Politico, "Gov. Noem has expeditiously completed all her paperwork, but we are waiting for the FBI to complete their portion of the paperwork."

Also delayed is the hearing of former North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who has been nominated to serve as Secretary of Interior in the second Trump administration. His hearing before the Energy and National Resources Committee was initially scheduled to take place Tuesday at 10 am.

Committee Chair Mike Lee said that the hearing for Burgum had been moved because of paperwork delays, per The Hill. "To ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of this process, the committee will postpone Governor Burgum’s hearing until Thursday," he said.

Lee said that Burgum had "promptly" submitted his paperwork but the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) was responsible for the paperwork processing delay. "Despite his compliance and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee noticing the hearing in accordance with all rules, OGE has yet to complete its review. This bureaucratic delay is unacceptable."

FBI background checks have also led to the delay of the hearing of Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, which has been postponed to January 21, Politico reported. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Chair Jerry Moran said that Collins had submitted his paperwork in a "timely manner" and has been "transparent and forthcoming."

"In accordance with long-standing practice, the committee should have an opportunity to review Congressman Collins’ FBI file before the confirmation hearing," Moran said. "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."

A hearing has also not yet been set for Tulsi Gabbard, the former Democrat US representative for Hawaii who has been nominated to become Director of National Intelligence. As of Monday afternoon, Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee said they still do not have an FBI background check or ethics disclosures from the OGE. Hearings for Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F Kennedy, Jr and FBI Director nominee Kash Patel, among other nominees, have not yet been scheduled.