AMNA NAWAZ: Well, Wray's resignation comes as Kash Patel met with senators to gain support for his nomination to lead the FBI.

He's just one of several nominees on the Hill today.

And our Lisa Desjardins joins us now from the Capitol.

So, Lisa, has this news changed the momentum for Kash Patel?

What are you hearing?

LISA DESJARDINS: It certainly doesn't hurt.

It means that there will be a new FBI director.

This was pretty much known, as Laura reported, that Trump was going to replace Christopher Wray.

But as you can see, Patel was on the Hill.

This was him meeting with some of the senators.

Now, he has had a much more disciplined approach saying today, for example, that he knows he has to earn senators' trust.

Now, that's different than the tone he has taken in the past, for example, in media appearances, where he has promoted conspiracy theories, including the false idea that the 2020 election was rigged.

He also has said, for example, he wants to come after members of the media, but it's a different tone he has on Capitol Hill and in general he is earning the support of some important senators, like Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who says he's someone he thinks he can back.

Right now, Patel is trying to create an image of someone who is disciplined and focused on the job.

And while he's having a good week, senators also know this is a very important job and they are ready for these hearings that we now expect to come in January or so.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, Lisa, we know you have been tracking that Patel is one of several key nominees on the Hill right now.

Help us understand how the other nominees, including the pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, are doing right now.

LISA DESJARDINS: I will tell you, Amna, you almost couldn't walk down any hallway, especially on the Senate side, without running into, as I did accidentally, another nominee for a Cabinet post.

But let's talk about Pete Hegseth.

He had a critical meeting today with Senator Susan Collins of Maine.

Now, he spoke to the press shortly after talking with her.

PETE HEGSETH, U.S. Defense Secretary Nominee: I'm certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands.

This is a process that we respect and appreciate, and we hope, through time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor, that we can earn her support.

But it's about earning support in this process in ongoing conversations.

LISA DESJARDINS: You may have spotted a theme there, earning support, respecting the process.

This is the mantra we're seeing for these controversial Trump nominees.

As for Susan Collins, she is an important vote because she has broken with former President and president-elect Trump in the past.

She's also a pro-military member of the Senate, kind of a defense hawk at times.

She stressed she had a very thorough discussion with Hegseth.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): We had a good discussion.

I'm not going to go into every question I asked, although I asked virtually every question under the sun.

QUESTION: So did you press him on the allegations against him?

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS: I pressed him on both his position military issues, as well as the allegations against him.

So I don't think there was anything that we did not cover.

LISA DESJARDINS: Those allegations include a criminal report of sexual assault in California years ago.

There were no charges filed in that.

But I asked Senator Collins, would she like to hear from the woman, the accuser, in that case, who reports she's under a nondisclosure agreement?

Susan Collins said, yes, she would like to hear from her, if possible.

One other note about Collins.

She said that Hegseth told her regarding women in combat, something he's opposed before, that he is now more open to that.

And a quick look at all these nominees on the Hill, many, many.

And in general, Amna, the nominees for Trump this week, they have had a good week on the Hill.

AMNA NAWAZ: Lisa, we also know you're tracking all the other news on Capitol Hill.

Of course, Congress has a lot to do before they're aiming to take recess at the end of next week, including a major defense spending bill.

Where does that stand now?

LISA DESJARDINS: Right.

Let's run through this.

The National Defense Authorization Act, a key bill, it passed through the House tonight.

This is what's in it, some important things, a 4.5 percent raise for all service members, and look at this, 14.5 percent pay raise for the most junior enlisted service members.

It would also have food assistance for some of the low-income members of the military.

There are cultural items in here as well, a compromise with Republicans from Democrats.

It would ban military coverage, health care treatment for transgender military kids.

There's some debate over exactly which treatment that would entail.

Now, for that pay raise, I want to say that it would be from $24,000 to $27,000 for some members of the military.

AMNA NAWAZ: And, Lisa, what about government funding?

That's scheduled to run out next week?

LISA DESJARDINS: That's right.

And we expect we will have a continuing resolutions announced this weekend.

And I want to raise one other thing, Amna, something that happened last night.

There was a member of the House, Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, who says that she had an incident that I want to make note of in which while she was shaking hands with someone after a foster care event, she said that she was accosted.

The person was arrested for assault.

Now, this person is known as a foster youth advocate.

The police report indicates this was a handshake, which, per her telling, was too aggressive.

Per the foster youth advocate, they say those around there, witnesses say it was a normal handshake, just enthusiastic.

The advocate did bring up trans youth, which is something, transgender rights, Nancy Mace has opposed.

AMNA NAWAZ: All right, that is our Lisa Desjardins reporting on Capitol Hill.

Lisa, thank you.