FBI background checks of presidential nominees, explained

A seal reading "Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation" is displayed on the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 9, 2022. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Confirmation hearings are underway for key staff positions in the upcoming administration as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House next week.

As part of the confirmation process, the FBI conducts background checks of nominees. FBI investigations focus on "character and conduct" and are completed "as expeditiously as possible," according to the agency.

"The FBI serves as an investigative service provider and does not adjudicate or render an opinion on the results of the background investigation," the FBI said in a statement. "The FBI's role is purely fact-finding."

"Once the FBI has taken the requested investigative steps the report is sent to the Office of White House Counsel or the Office of the President-Elect for their use or follow up as deemed appropriate," the statement continued. "As with any other investigation, the FBI does not publicly comment on investigations."

Here is what to know about FBI background check process:

A 1953 executive order