Confirmation Hearing Live Stream: Watch Ben Carson, James Mattis, Mike Pompeo Speak Before Senate

RTSV4V5 — HUD Secretary-nominee and former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson stood after meeting with Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 7, 2016. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

Former GOP presidential candidate and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson is expected to sit Thursday at 10:00 a.m. EST before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing. Carson, who was leading the GOP polls at one point during the presidential election before dropping out, was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as the Housing and Urban Development Secretary because of his “brilliant mind” and passion about “strengthening communities and families within those communities,” Trump said in a statement.

It was reported in November that Carson, who was vice chairman of Trump’s transition team, decided not to accept a cabinet position as secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration because he felt he did not have the right experience.

"Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he's never run a federal agency,” said Carson’s business manager, Armstrong Williams. “The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency."

You can watch a live stream of Carson's hearing here. Prior to their close ties during Trump’s transition to presidency, Trump and Carson butted heads during the primaries, prompting the now president-elect to take to Twitter at one point to discuss Carson’s temper.

The other confirmation hearings taking place Thursday involve nominees General James Mattis for defense secretary at 9:30 a.m. EST and Mike Pompeo as CIA director at 10:00 a.m. EST.

You can watch a live stream of Mattis's hearing here. “Mad Dog” Mattis had a career in the Marine Corps for more than 40 years and served as the 11^th Commander of the U.S. Central Command before retiring in 2013. He does not share Trump’s view of using waterboarding to gather intel and does not have a favorable view of Iran.

Pompeo is a Republican congressman from Kansas who joined Congress in 2011 following his work in oil and aircraft industries. He has voiced his opposition to the Gunatanamo Bay shutdown and the Iran nuclear deal. You can watch a live stream of Pompeo's hearing here.

The final confirmation hearing of the week is Friday, where education activist and American businesswoman Betsy DeVos will sit before the Senate for her nomination as education secretary.