On Thursday night, Vice President Mike Pence swore in former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as secretary of the Energy Department, which he once almost vowed to eliminate, and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson as Housing and Urban Development secretary. The Senate confirmed both Cabinet officers, former Trump rivals for the GOP nomination, on Thursday afternoon — Carson by a 58-41 vote and Perry, 62-37. The Senate has now confirmed 18 of Trump's 22 Cabinet-level nominees. Peter Weber
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