Even though Trump has not officially been inaugurated, the Senate can confirm cabinet members before his Oath of Office.

On Monday, President Donald Trump took the oath of office to become the 47th president of the United States of America.

President Donald Trump has named an acting defense secretary because his choice to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, has not yet been confirmed by the Senate.

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Defense Department sat for a Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday after hearings for Veterans’ Affairs Secretary nominee Doug Collins and Interior secretary nominee Doug Burgum were postponed.

A cloud of controversy has hung over Hegseth, but he now appears to be on track to be confirmed as Trump's defense secretary.

Donald Trump’s cabinet picks are beginning their nomination process this week, starting with Trump’s choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth

Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed doubts about the Fox News host's ability to lead the U.S. military

The incoming president's pick to lead the Defense Department made $4.6 million as host at the cable news network over two years.

Notably, Gabbard questioned the US intelligence community’s assessments that Assad was behind a deadly chlorine gas attack the same year she met with the Syrian strongman, to which Trump said at the time: “There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons.”

The Senate has confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state, giving President Donald Trump the first member of his Cabinet. The vote was unanimous.

WASHINGTON — The Senate quickly confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Monday, voting unanimously to give President Donald Trump the first member of his new Cabinet on Inauguration Day.