Why It Matters

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a confirmation hearing for three assistant secretary nominees on Tuesday, June 23, hoping to fill positions vacant for 18 months under the Trump Administration. William Hague, Kevin Lilly, and Kaveh Farzad faced their hearing after extended delays in the nomination and vetting process.

The Big Picture

The Trump Administration nominated Hague, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular and International Affairs, and Lilly, Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, in February. Farzad, Assistant Secretary of Energy for International Affairs, was nominated in March 2025, but two of the three nominees took four months to submit required questionnaires to the committee, creating more delays in the process. The three offices have sat empty since the start of the President's second term, forcing both Hague and Lilly to perform their duties in acting capacities since May and August 2025, respectively.

Hague brings substantial private sector experience to his role. He served as an executive vice president at AT&T, CEO and Vice Chairman of Tillman Infrastructure, and was a partner at the law firm Stokes Lawrence. He also served in the Peace Corps in Togo, Africa. The position oversees U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while managing federal assistance to foreign nations and coordinating international programs supporting U.S. foreign policy.

Lilly's nomination sparked more pointed questioning. A Texas-based wealth manager by background, Lilly has no prior federal land management experience, yet he was appointed before formal confirmation. The Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks oversees the National Park Service among other Interior units. Timed entry policies at Arches and Zion national parks have drawn opposition from Utah counties, the governor, and Utah's entire congressional delegation, creating political pressure on whoever fills this role.

Kaveh Farzad brought a different set of credentials to the hearing. He worked for the State Department for three years, and the Department of Energy's Office (DOE) of International Affairs. At the hearing, Farzad testified he would leverage DOE national laboratories to advance U.S. interests in international energy affairs.

The committee examined at length how national laboratory research could become an open target for China or other adversaries seeking to obtain American technology under the cover of collaboration. This reflected broader administration concerns about protecting sensitive research while maintaining international partnerships.

Political Stakes

For the Nominees

  • For Hague, the Northern Mariana Islands position carries political weight. The territory is located near critical U.S. military assets in Guam and remains strategically important. The Biden Administration's creation of the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program in 2024, which allows Chinese nationals to travel to the Northern Mariana Islands without a visa for up to 14 days, raised concerns that Hague's confirmation could signal a shift in how the administration manages access to these territories.
  • For Lilly, his lack of conservation experience could complicate future conflicts over public lands management, with questions from Senate Republicans signaling a reversal of Biden Administration environmental policies.
  • For Farzad, his position would shape how the U.S. engages with international energy partners, while continuing to protect sensitive national laboratory research. The administration's emphasis on leveraging national laboratories for diplomatic purposes reflects a strategic pivot in energy policy.

The Other Side

Democrats raised concerns about the vetting delays and questioned whether acting officials should perform full duties without Senate confirmation. The Supreme Court has stated that Senate confirmation is more than a matter of etiquette or protocol, and it is among the significant structural safeguards of the constitutional scheme. The Court has also noted that advice and consent serves to curb executive abuses of the appointment power and to promote the appointment of qualified people to important offices.

The Bottom Line

The three nominees must be advanced by the committee toward full Senate confirmation votes. With Republicans in control, passage appears assured barring unexpected developments. The broader question is whether these confirmations signal a fundamental shift in how the administration manages public lands, wildlife, and international energy partnerships.

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