Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

The ranking member of the committee, Democrat Dick Durbin, is asking Bondi about the 6 January riot on the US Capitol in 2021.

He's asked Bondi - who is trying to be America's top law enforcement officer - if she would support Trump pardoning convicted rioters from the 6 January incident.

"I will advise on a case by case basis, just as I did my entire career as a prosecutor," Bondi said.

Durbin also asks her about the violence against law enforcement officers during that riot - where officers were injured.

"I condemn any violence on a law enforcement officer in this country," she says.

"If confirmed, I will do everything in my power - and it will be my great responsibility - to make America safe again," Bondi says.

Bondi adds that the justice department needs to "fix the bureau of prisons", which she says has suffered from years of "mismanagement, low funding and lack of morale".

Finally, Bondi says she will fight "every day" to restore confidence in the department and end it "partisanship" and "weaponisation".

"America will have one tier of justice for all," she says to close her opening remarks.

Image source, Reuters

It's a busy day on Capitol Hill. Rubio's hearing is now well under way, with questions at the moment focusing on Ukraine. We'll get to his responses in a bit.

For now, let's head over briefly to another hearing - that of Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's choice for attorney general.

"All I wanted to do was be a prosecutor," she says as she begins her opening statement.

She adds that during her career as Florida's attorney general she fought to eliminate human trafficking, provided critical resources including safe houses. "On the civil side, we worked to protect consumers," she says, including taking action on off-label prescription marketing.

If confirmed as the US attorney general, Bondi says her "overriding objective" will be to "return the Department of Justice to its core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals".

Rubio persists despite the interruptions, describing the current global status around the world, pointing to dictators creating instability that aligns with radical terror groups and highlighting other global threats.

"All this has led to a moment in which we must now confront the single greatest risk of geopolitical instability and of generational global crisis in the lifetime of anyone alive and in this room today," he says.

Rubio says he will uphold the mandate from voters that Trump received when he will return to office: establish a strong America, engaged in the world, but "guided by a clear objective to promote peace abroad and security and prosperity here at home".

Tom Bateman
State department correspondent, reporting from Capitol Hill

Within a few minutes of Rubio speaking we’ve had three protesters heckling the hearing.

The first stood up and started shouting. It was hard to make out what he was trying to shout but he called Rubio “little Marco” - a snub that was used by Donald Trump for Rubio during the 2016 Republican presidential nomination campaign.

He was bundled out of the room by security officers.

The second heckled in Spanish, mentioning Nicaragua and was also taken outside. Rubio responded, saying “I get bilingual protests”, to laughter from the committee members.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, is known for his hawkish positions on some Latin American countries.

A few moments later a third person stood up and began shouting "healthcare is a human right, education is a human right,” before shouting about US sanctions.

Rubio begins by saying the nomination is an honour and extraordinary responsibility, and he speaks about how his parents arrived from Cuba with nothing but the hope for a better life.

He talks about the need to promote peace, and the global order that emerged after World War Two.

But he's then cut off by shouting in the room, and the protester is dragged out by Capitol Police.

Top Democrat on the committee, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, has just stressed the importance of confirming national security appointments quickly.

"I believe it's in our national security interest to have our embassies fully staffed and to confirm career ambassadors" she says.

Shaheen tells Rubio that she believes he has the skills and is well qualified to serve as secretary of state.

The Democrat listed several key areas she hopes Rubio will speak to: support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, Syria and empowering women on the global stage.

Image source, Getty Images

More now from chairman James Risch - he's overseeing the confirmation hearing of Trump's pick for top US diplomat, Marco Rubio.

He says the outgoing Democratic administration has made "ill-informed decisions" that have empowered the US's adversaries.

He mentions the withdrawal from Afghanistan, what he describes as failure to deter Russia, and "constant concessions" to China, along with other examples.

He also talks about the need to support Israel and ramp up pressure on Iran, and says Rubio is the right man to help Trump end the war in Ukraine.

The department needs to refocus on the core mission of effective diplomacy rather than advance "progressive ideology", he says, criticising diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements.

He ends by expressing his confidence in Rubio as the "right person" to address such challenges.

Tom Bateman
State department correspondent, reporting from Capitol Hill

The Rubio hearing is under way with a stern warning from Republican Chairman James Risch to those in the public seats not to disrupt the hearing.

“I am significantly less tolerant than my predecessors regarding demonstrations,” he says, adding that anyone behind any kind of disruption would be removed and banned from returning for a year.

Florida Senator Rick Scott, a Republican, is introducing Rubio - an "exceptional" nominee, he says.

"He is the perfect person to carry out president-elect Trump's policies and to protect America's national security and to bring peace and civility back to the western hemisphere," he says.

Image source, Getty Images

There's more than one confirmation hearing taking place today, and another we have our eye on.

Marco Rubio's grilling for nomination for the role of secretary of state is just getting under way.

He's due to make a statement to and take questions from the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, which has a Republican majority but members from both parties.

We'll be bringing you the key lines and analysis as it unfolds.

Tom Bateman
State Department correspondent, reporting from Capitol Hill

Over now to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Rubio confirmation hearing is yet to begin but around a dozen activists from the anti-war activist group Code Pink are here in the public seats of the committee room.

They’ve just stood up, raising hands covered in red paint.

One said "we want peace in Greenland”, before a security officer asked them to sit down. We’re still awaiting Rubio and the committee members.

We're now hearing from the top Democrat on the committee, ranking member Dick Durbin of Illinois.

Durbin defined the role of an attorney general, stressing that this position has a real impact on America's every day life.

"It is critical that any nominee for this position be committed first and foremost to the Constitution and the American people, not any president or political agenda," he says.

Durbin outlines several questions he has for Bondi, including whether she would be willing to tell President-elect Trump "no" if he asks her to do something illegal or unconstitutional.

He then listed several concerns with Bondi serving as attorney general - citing her past role as one of Trump's personal lawyers - and whether she will focus on wealthy special interests over the American people after failing to disclose lobbying forms.

Bondi's hearing starts with a statement from its Republican chairman, Senator Chuck Grassley.

He said her qualifications speak for themselves and says a "change is desperately needed" in the department.

He says the department is "infected with political decision-making" and says it has been weaponised under the Democrats, particularly against Trump, accusing it of "Orwellian conduct" and "flagrant abuses of power".

Image source, Getty Images

Pam Bondi's confirmation hearing for the role of attorney general has just started.

She will be facing questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has a Republican majority but members from both parties.

We'll be bringing you the key lines plus analysis from our reporter in the room - hit watch live to follow along.

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

Image source, Reuters

The hearing just lowered to a whisper as Bondi entered the room wearing a black pin striped suit.

She smiled ear-to-ear as Chuck Grassley, the Republican chair of this committee, escorted her to her seat.

Her first hug, once she got there, Florida Senator Rick Scott, of her home state.

We should be hearing from Bondi shortly.

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

I'm inside a hearing room in the Hart senate building awaiting former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's hearing.

Right now, there are a handful of camera crews and reporters around, as well as family and friends of Bondi.

This is a big day for the Bondi family, and a particularly unique experience which political appointees find themselves in every few years: a job interview in front of your family, friends and dozens of cameras.

Personal guests of Bondi have been lining up and taking pictures in front of the dais in the minutes before the hearing kicks off.

Soon the room will be hushed and we'll hear from Bondi herself. Stick with us.

Rachel Looker
Live reporter

Both Rubio and Bondi need to be confirmed by a full Senate vote to become official members of Trump's cabinet.

We'll see one of the first public steps of the process play out today.

Rubio and Bondi will appear before two separate Senate committees this morning.

Senators will take turns asking questions after each nominee delivers their opening statement.

Committee members later vote to report a nominee favourably, unfavourably or without recommendation to the whole Senate. All 100 senators then vote for or against the nominee.

A nomination that clears in committee typically does not face major opposition on the full Senate floor (where a nominee needs a simple majority to be confirmed).

It's important to note that Republicans control the upper chamber 53 to 47. And once inaugurated on 20 January, Vice President-elect JD Vance can break any ties.

Ana Faguy
Reporting from Capitol Hill

Good morning from Capitol Hill.

It’s a hectic day in Washington as multiple Trump appointees have confirmation hearings on the Hill and the city continues its preparations for inauguration.

On the bus ride into the Capitol, the extra security was visible lining the streets.

Inside the Capitol, it’s business as usual for the most part, except for the nominees waiting to hear how their nominations fare.

We’ll bring you the latest from Capitol Hill, stick with us.

Image source, EPA

Pam Bondi is Trump's nominee for attorney general - his second choice, after Matt Gaetz withdrew.

Bondi's nomination has so far proved less controversial than Gaetz, who faced scrutiny over sexual misconduct allegations which he denied.

Bondi, a professional prosecutor, served as Florida's first female attorney general between 2011 and 2019.

Her relationship with Trump goes back years. She has supported him since his 2016 election campaign and told voters at a recent rally that she considers him a "friend".

She is a chair at America First Policy Institute, a conservative think tank founded by former Trump staff members, leading its legal arm.

Bondi was also part of Trump's legal team during his first impeachment trial and has criticised the criminal cases against him.

In 2016, Trump and Bondi came under scrutiny over a $25,000 (£19,982) contribution he had made in 2013 to her re-election campaign for Florida attorney general.

The payment was made at a time when Bondi's office was reportedly considering whether to open a fraud investigation into Trump University. The investigation never happened and Bondi denied that decision was influenced by the donation.

Bondi's hearing is due to start at 09:30 EST (14:30 GMT). Stay with us for the key lines as it gets under way.