The cabinet picks of President-elect Donald J Trump are set to go under the microscope, as US senators hold confirmation hearings of more than a dozen prospective nominees starting Tuesday.

Hearings scheduled this week for more than a dozen of the president-elect's cabinet choices will provide an early test of his hold over Senate Republicans.

Opposition to prospective nominees, along with time-consuming Senate rules, will slow floor action despite the Republican push for approval of some of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s picks as soon as Jan. 20.