This top Republican sent Donald Trump one message about a Senate confirmation vote that left Pete Hegseth pacing the floor

Senate hearings for Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees kick off next week.

The President-elect’s Secretary of Defense nominee is scheduled to go first on Monday.

But this top Republican sent Donald Trump one message about a Senate confirmation vote that left Pete Hegseth pacing the floor.

Inauguration Day is rapidly approaching for President-elect Donald Trump.

Americans handed Donald Trump a mandate with his landslide victory over Vice President Kamala Harris to win the Presidency.

Even though Donald Trump doesn’t take office until January 20, Senate confirmation hearings for his cabinet nominees are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 14.

This will be the first real test of Donald Trump’s administration.

Republicans have a 53-47 seat majority in the Senate.

Since nominees need a majority to be confirmed, Trump’s picks can only afford to lose three Republican Senators to make it through the process.

And the toughest nominee for Trump to get confirmed is scheduled to go first on Tuesday.

Trump nominated former Fox & Friends Weekend host Pete Hegseth to serve as his Secretary of Defense.

Despite being a Bronze Star combat veteran, Hegseth has been under fire since the moment Trump announced his nomination.

The media gave Hegseth the “Brett Kavanaugh treatment” and ran fake stories accusing him of being a womanizing alcoholic.

He was also accused of mismanaging finances and drinking on the job when he worked for two veterans advocacy groups.

Trump has remained loyal and defended Hegseth from the allegations and smears.

“Trump, 78, has stood by Hegseth despite concerns about his past alleged personal and professional misconduct — including his tenure at two veterans advocacy groups where he was accused of mismanaging finances and binge drinking on the job,” the New York Post reported. “Several former senior employees — including a trustee of one of the groups, Concerned Veterans for America — categorically denied the allegations, which were put forward by anonymous whistleblowers, and threw cold water on claims that Hegseth was forced out of his position due to appalling conduct.”

The smears caused several RINOs to have reservations about Hegseth’s nomination.

The main opposition was Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), but they have both since changed their views and are now supporting Hegseth.

Senator John Thune (R-SD) is the new Senate Majority Leader for the Republicans.

He discussed the nomination votes in an interview with CBS where he promised a fair process.

“I think these are nominees who are new enough, they’ve been going around and conducting their meetings, which I think, frankly, have gone very well, but they still have to make their case in front of the committee,” Thune said on Face the Nation. “We don’t know all the information about some of these nominees.”

But rumors are circulating that Thune is singing a different tune in Trump’s ear.

According to three different sources, Thune privately informed Donald Trump that he believes Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed as his Secretary of Defense.

But Thune’s staffers were tight-lipped about the private conversation.

“Two things we don’t discuss publicly: Whip counts and private conversations with the President,” a Thune spokesman told CBS when asked for a comment.

The nomination hearings begin on Tuesday.

Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) called for confirmation votes on Trump’s national security selections “as soon as possible” in response to the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.

But only time will tell if Hegseth makes it through the process.