I’m Margaret Brennan in Washington and this week on Face the Nation: President‑elect Trump makes a flurry of picks for top health and finance jobs. Will they pass muster with the Republican‑controlled Senate? The Trump transition team unveiled almost a dozen people selected to fill key cabinet and White House roles. As would‑be nominees are whisked through Capitol Hill to meet with senators, there has already been one major withdrawal, a quick replacement, and renewed scrutiny on some controversial national security picks.
We’ll talk with two key senators: Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky, who will chair the Homeland Security Committee next year and sits on the Health Committee; and Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, who sits on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees. They’ll question the president‑elect’s choices on health, national security and more. One of Trump’s national security advisors from his first term, retired Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, will also weigh in. As the conflict between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah continues to rage, when can we expect a ceasefire? Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen joins us. Finally, Representative‑elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, speaks about preparing to take office and the issues that drove her to run.
West Palm Beach, transition updates
President‑elect Trump has continued staffing announcements. Selections include Scott Bessent for Treasury; picks for health agencies that have sparked debate for past anti‑vaccine or vaccine‑critical remarks; and national security nominees facing scrutiny. CBS polling shows many well‑known designees get more support than opposition, but some choices raise questions about experience, qualifications and policy stances.
Sen. Rand Paul on nominees, vaccines and immigration
Senator Paul, a physician by training, said he supports vaccines yet recognizes growing vaccine hesitancy tied to public distrust of government messaging. He argued that the CDC and FDA during COVID politicized guidance, contributing to lower uptake, particularly on boosters. Paul emphasized that vaccine choice — removing mandates and providing transparent risk/benefit information — matters to restore trust. He said he supports many health nominees but attributes hesitancy primarily to government misinformation rather than the messengers alone.
On immigration, Paul rejected using the U.S. Army for mass deportations as unlawful and warned against militarizing domestic policing. He favors using FBI, ICE and Border Patrol to target the most dangerous individuals, and insists operations be conducted within legal constraints and through the justice system. Deputizing the National Guard is less clear legally, and Paul prefers measured, law‑based enforcement rather than military deployments.
Economically, Paul expressed skepticism about tariffs (calling them taxes on consumers) and favored trade, saying international trade has made Americans wealthier. He is generally supportive of Scott Bessent for Treasury but will press the case against tariffs. On deficits and proposed tax cuts, Paul said he supports pay‑as‑you‑go rules and would demand spending cuts alongside tax reductions.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth on defense nominees, character and Israel
Senator Duckworth, a combat veteran who lost both legs in Iraq, argued forcefully that women make the U.S. military stronger and should be judged by merit, not gender. She criticized Pete Hegseth’s comments opposing women in combat and raised questions about his fitness to lead the Pentagon given his lack of senior command experience and past allegations of sexual assault, which Hegseth has denied; Duckworth stressed the need to hear from accusers in the confirmation process and flagged the broader cost to military culture.
On Israel and Gaza, Duckworth described the Netanyahu government’s tactics in Gaza as brutal and troubling. She voted against resolutions of disapproval that would have imposed specific shipment pauses for offensive weapons to Israel, explaining her vote came from concern over the immediate impact on U.S. troops and the limited practical effect of the resolutions. She has cosigned letters critical of Israeli policy and sought stronger mechanisms to investigate allegations of civilian harm where U.S. weapons were used. Duckworth said she will evaluate nominees on competence and independence and oppose those who pursue retribution.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen on Congress priorities and Israel
Senator Van Hollen outlined congressional priorities for the remaining months: disaster relief funding, the defense authorization, the farm bill extension, and confirming judges. He stressed urgency on relief for hurricane and infrastructure impacts, including funds for Baltimore’s Key Bridge.
On the Middle East, Van Hollen criticized the Biden administration for failing to press Israel effectively to allow humanitarian aid and investigate civilian harm. He supported pausing some weapons shipments pending compliance with U.S. law, arguing that enforcement of American legal standards is compatible with supporting Israel. He expressed frustration that U.S. leverage has not been used more assertively to insist on mechanisms to assess civilian harm and compliance with laws of armed conflict.
Gen. H.R. McMaster on the global security landscape
Retired Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster, who served as national security advisor, warned that the geopolitical environment facing the incoming administration is perilous. He supports U.S. decisions to provide Ukraine with longer‑range munitions and other aid and cautioned that actions—or signals—about reducing U.S. commitments risk undermining Ukrainian morale and enabling Russian gains. McMaster argued that adversaries such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are coordinating or indirectly supporting each other, and that Russia’s intentions go beyond limited security grievances; strength is essential to deter further aggression.
McMaster emphasized the Senate’s role in vetting nominees to ensure they will offer candid, strategic advice and not simply echo a president’s preferences. He urged nominees to be pressed on how they would analyze adversary motives and provide the president with options.
Rep.-elect Sarah McBride on running, priorities and treatment
Representative‑elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, said her caregiving experience for her husband during cancer inspired her to run. She plans to focus on lowering costs for workers and families — health care, housing, child care, and paid family leave — and says she will work across the aisle where possible but push back against policies that harm constituents. McBride emphasized that she ran to deliver results, not to be defined by personal issues like bathroom access, and that targeting vulnerable groups is often a distraction from broader policy actions that affect workers’ economic security.
McBride also addressed intra‑party debates and said Democrats must be clear that attacking vulnerable communities is diversionary; time spent on culture‑war pursuits takes attention from economic issues affecting voters.
What’s next
The final weeks of the current administration and the incoming transition are packed: Congress must pass funding bills, the NDAA, and disaster relief; the Senate will advise and consent on many nominees; and votes over weapons, humanitarian law compliance, and Ukraine aid will test Senate prerogatives and U.S. leverage abroad. Face The Nation’s lineup aimed to probe nominees’ qualifications, the Senate’s willingness to hold hearings, and how administration choices will affect foreign policy, public health, and domestic priorities in the months ahead.