RELATED May 31, 2023 The State of Public Trust in Government 2023 May 17, 2023 The Good Government Connection: Linking the Employee and Customer Experiences April 25, 2023 Effective presidential transitions can earn the public’s trust Back to Reports Senate Traditionally Confirms First Cabinet Secretaries Within Days December 21, 2021 Having Cabinet positions filled by Senate-confirmed appointees benefits new administrations – and more importantly, the country – by enabling presidents to hit the ground running, especially during times of crisis. An examination of the last four incoming presidents shows that each announced most of their desired Cabinet secretaries during their transition, and the Senate generally moved quickly to confirm those nominations. On average, 95% of these secretary nominees receive confirmation hearings before the inauguration. For Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the confirmations of their secretary picks occurred almost immediately following the moment they took the oath of office on Jan. 20. Center for Presidential Transition