WASHINGTON - In Thursday's confirmation hearings, President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees had very different treatments, from James Mattis' easy sailing to Ben Carson's tough grilling.
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 24-3 to approve Mattis' nomination, moving the vote onto the Senate floor. The committee also easily passed a waiver exempting Mattis from a law that requires a defense secretary to be retired from service for at least seven years.
Mattis took a clear anti-Russia stance during the hearing, naming the country as "principle threat" to U.S. security.
The stance differs notably from Trump's, who had expressed on multiple occasions the willingness to mend fences with Moscow.
"I have very modest expectations about areas of cooperation with Mr.Putin," Mattis said, referring to the Russian president.
He also said the United States should check Russia's growing influence in the Arctic region.

The stance was well received by members of both parties on the committee, as recent allegations of Russian hacking have sparked particularly strong anti-Russian sentiments among U.S. lawmakers. (Xinhua)