What we’re watching: Hegseth’s hearing

Here’s what we’re watching in transition world today:

🗓️ What we’re watching

• Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s most crucial Cabinet nominees will get their time before Senate committees this week, starting Tuesday with embattled Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth. And Democrats are lining up their attacks. Tuesday morning, Trump stood behind his nominee in a post on Truth Social, saying Hegseth “will make a GREAT Secretary of Defense. He has my Complete and Total support. Good luck today, Pete!” 
• Overnight, recently-resigned special counsel Jack Smith’s final report was released by the Justice Department, where Smith says Trump’s “unprecedented criminal effort” to overturn the 2020 election has not been exonerated. Read the full report here. 
• Vice President-elect JD Vance’s comments about Trump’s potential pardons for Jan. 6, 2021, defendants has led to more questions about the president-elect’s clemency plans. 
• Before Trump’s second term has even begun, the coalition of groups that were key to his victory in November have started to fight. In particular, there’s a riff between his MAGA loyalists and the newer base of tech bros and blue collar workers, Megan Messerly and Adam Wren write this morning. 

👀 What’s Trump up to?

• As parts of Los Angeles remain ablaze, Trump is continuing his attacks against Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. “RELEASE THE WATER, NEWSOM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday morning. 

🚨What’s up with the nominees?

• Hegseth will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee at 9:30 a.m. 
• As more hearings kick off this week, Jordain Carney and Ursula Perano break down where 18 of Trump’s picks stand. 
• More than $1 million is going into the campaign to convince senators to block the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of Health and Human Services. 
• Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk, who has been tapped to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, is expected to have office space in the White House, according to the New York Times. 
• The Senate confirmation hearing slated for Tuesday for Trump’s pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, former Rep. Doug Collins, has been postponed to Jan. 21.