Some of President-elect Donald Trump's most vulnerable Cabinet picks are racing to smooth out or overwrite past statements before contentious Senate confirmation fights next year.
It's a political concern that isn't shared by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the duo of influential Trump allies who have been given wide-ranging power to recommend major federal spending cuts.
The contrast illustrates a key split defining Trump world as it prepares to take over the federal government. The incoming president is preparing to stock key administration posts with high-profile conservative media stars who have ably used that ecosystem to bolster their right-wing policy proposals.
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But facing the political pressure of getting confirmed by the Senate, some of those Cabinet picks are now having to moderate. Meanwhile, others in non-Senate confirmable positions can continue mostly unbothered by any prospect that their seats at the table could get yanked away.
"A lot of these guys have been loud mouthpieces and have been on record on news, and serving as talking heads," one Republican strategist said. "They are going to say a lot of things. Sometimes hyperbole, and sometimes saying things to push their own agenda or advocate for someone else. When confirmation time comes, you have to answer for that."
Some examples: Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick to serve as the nation's top intelligence official, struck a drastically different tone on Syria in the wake of the fall of the country's president, Bashar al-Assad. Gabbard, a Democrat-turned-Republican and military veteran, has faced criticism over her past support for Assad, including making an unsanctioned trip to meet with him in 2017 that has come under renewed scrutiny.
With Trump saying the U.S should avoid involvement in Syria, Gabbard told reporters Tuesday as she met with senators: "I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statement President Trump has made over the last few days with regards to the developments in Syria."
Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary, seems to be softening on his previous stance that women should not serve in combat roles, a position that came under scrutiny after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, expressed skepticism about his selection. Ernst became the first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate when she took office in 2015.
On Monday, after her second meeting with him Ernst issued a statement that Hegseth "committed" to "selecting a senior official who will uphold the roles and values of our servicemen and women." Later that night on Fox News, Hegseth signaled that he was backtracking on his initial position, praising female troops.
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