Look at it from the point of view of the FAA
First the FAA is going to deny all wrongs so as to preserve their pensions. Which is why they will explain that their certification is only appropriate for US-trained pilots.
Then they will cooperate with Boeing to get the plane flying fairly safely. Because the pressure is huge.
Lastly they will take some measures to fix their process. Probably they will erase the possibility of easy certification of a follow-on type, and respecify startle factor as a risk in itself. At this point they might even move to ask for additional verification of the MAX systems.
Edmund
PS. Apparently in the US lawyer-based culture *any* admission of there being an issue is evidence. So the FAA guys cannot admit any problem existing, notrcan Boeing, and any hearings become empty posturing.