How many? And how fast? That’s the question for the Senate in early January as it will sprint to confirm as many of President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees as possible. Senators cannot do much right now for a couple of reasons: Republicans are not in charge of the Senate, and Trump does not take office until noon EST on Jan. 20. However, there will be a flurry of action...

President-elect Trump on Wednesday tapped former Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to become U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in his new administration.  Trump described Whitaker, who is from Iowa, as “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended.” “Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to...

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended his efforts to expand diversity in the military during a wide-ranging interview on Wednesday. Austin affirmed to NBC News his belief that having women and increased diversity in the U.S. military “makes us stronger.”  “I have spent 41 years in uniform, three long tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and everywhere I went on a battlefield, there were women in our formation,” Austin...