President-elect Donald Trump has spent the weeks since his 2024 election victory revealing his picks for top White House posts, ambassadors and branch chiefs to fill his new administration. In addition to his Cabinet members, many of those appointees will play key roles in shaping policy during Trump’s second term and advancing his goals on issues ranging from health care to immigration to customs price lists. and much more.
Here’s a look at Trump’s picks and the latest on his transition:
President-elect Trump is installing Texas border czar Mike Banks as head of the U. S. Border Patrol, sources told CBS News.
The banks will upgrade leader Jason Owens, who, based on resources, is expected to retire at the end of this year.
The banks played a key role in Texas’ competing border effort, in which the state transported tens of thousands of migrants to major U. S. cities, deployed the National Guard to the banks of the Rio Grande with wire spikes and assigned infantrymen to prevent the invasion. Migrants under charges of trespassing.
President-elect Donald Trump announced two picks for the U. S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 16.
He chose Richard Fordyce for the position of undersecretary of agricultural production and conservation.
“Richard is a proud producer of soybeans, corn, and fourth-generation beef farm animals, who served as Administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency in my first term and in the past served as Missouri’s director of agriculture,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump Michael Boren as Undersecretary of Herbal Resources and Environment.
Trump said Boren, co-founder of Clearwater Analytics, “will work to revitalize forestry enforcement at a time when it is desperately needed. “
President-elect Trump announced on Jan. 9 that he picked Christine Jack Toretti to serve as the next United States ambassador to Sweden.
“Christine is a businesswoman, philanthropist, public servant, and member of the RNC committee of the Greater Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Trump said.
Toretti was appointed US ambassador to Malta during the first Trump administration. He earned a certificate of competency in 2018 and 2019, but never applied for the position.
Democratic senators discovered that, according to the Arizona Daily Star, she had been subject to a restraining order for leaving a bullet-riddled target sheet at the workplace of an Arizona doctor she was angry with, and her nomination was not was approved. Trump will not change the name in 2020, according to a report prepared by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
President-elect Trump announced on January 6 that he had decided on Joseph Nocella Jr. for the position of United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The Eastern District includes all counties on Long Island, adding Kings and Queens counties in Brooklyn, as well as Richmond County in Staten Island. Nocella Jr. has served as a Nassau County District Court Judge since 2022.
“Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing law and order to fellow New Yorkers, and has served as a Nassau County District Court Judge and a Family Court Judge,” Trump wrote on social media. social. “A proud graduate of Columbia Law School, he also spent more than ten years in personal practice. “
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan. 3 that he picked Roman Pipko to serve as ambassador to Estonia.
Pipko was born and raised in Estonia and immigrated to the United States in 1981, according to an article on Soviet law he co-authored. He worked at the W. A. Harriman Institute for the Advanced Study of the Soviet Union at Columbia University and has a law degree from Yale Law School.
Trump said Pipko thoroughly enjoyed dealing with foreign governments and represented U. S. interests at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Russian-American Enterprise Fund.
“As a legal immigrant, he has lived the promise of America and I believe he will advance American interests in his new role,” Trump said.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on January 2 that he had selected Benjamín León Jr. as ambassador to Spain.
Leon is the founder of Leon Medical Centers, which provides care for Medicare patients in the Miami area. Leon has also owned a solid for decades where he breeds Paso Fino horses and has also dabbled in thoroughbred racing, according to ESPN.
President-elect Donald Trump announced his possible options for positions within the Treasury Department on January 2:
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan. 2 that he had selected Joe Popolo as U. S. ambassador to the Netherlands.
Popolo is the founder and CEO of Charles & Potomac Capital, LLC, a private investment firm focused on investments in technology, healthcare, media, energy and real estate, according to its website. He previously worked at the live event brand experience business Freeman Company.
“Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist across many different sectors,” Trump said on social media. “He is a proud graduate of Boston College, a member of their Board of Regents, and also, a Patron of the Arts in the Vatican Museum.”
President-elect Donald Trump said on Christmas that he would nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera as ambassador to Panama, whom he accused in his announcement of “swindling us in the Panama Canal beyond his dreams. ” crazier. “
Cabrera is the commissioner of Miami-Dade County and vice president of the International Trade Consortium and the Community Safety and Emergency Management Committee. In the past he worked as Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign and for the Republican National Committee.
“Few people perceive Latin American politics as well as Kevin. He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our nation’s interests in Panama!” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump in recent days has suggested the U.S. should retake control of the Panama Canal, which has been fully operated by the Panama government-owned Panama Canal Authority since 1999, following the signing of a treaty by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
In response, Panama President José Raúl Mulino said that “every square meter” of the canal “belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama.”
“We’ll see!” Trump posted after Mulion’s response. In a social media post, Trump shared a symbol of an American flag planted in the canal with the caption “Welcome to the American Canal!”
According to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. uses the canal more than any other nation, with 72% of all ships going through the passageway heading to or from U.S. ports.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 4 he has picked ambassadors to Portugal and Malta.
Somers Farkas, the wife of Jonathan Farkas, an heir to the Alexander’s department store fortune, is Trump’s choice to serve as the next United States ambassador to the Republic of Malta.
“Somers is a model, philanthropist, documentary producer, and very successful businesswoman,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump also announced that he had selected auto entrepreneur John Arrigo as the next U. S. ambassador to Portugal.
“John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry, and a champion golfer. For over thirty years, he has been an incredible leader in business in West Palm Beach, and is respected by all,” Trump wrote on social media.
Arrigo owned car dealerships in Florida before promoting them in 2020, according to the South Florida Business Journal.
President-elect Donald Trump is rounding out his National Security Council with several who served in his first administration.
The selections include Brian McCormack, a longtime energy consultant, and Andrew Peek, a seasoned Middle East adviser, according to people familiar with the matter.
The NSC’s executive secretary will be Catherine Keller, according to several other people close to the new recruits. Keller was deputy secretary general at the Commerce Department and deputy chief of staff at the White House during Trump’s first term.
Micah Ketchel, Florida Republican Congressman Mike Waltz’s congressional chief of staff, will be senior adviser and a special assistant to the president, one of the sources said. Trump announced Waltz as his pick for National Security Advisor back in November. Ketchel previously worked for the Republican Attorneys General Association and at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
One of Trump’s transition spokesmen, Brian Hughes, will serve as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, the resources say. And James Hewitt, Waltz’s director of congressional communications, will play a communications role on Trump’s new NSC.
Learn here.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 22 that he had decided on Mauricio Claver-Carone for the position of State Department special envoy for Latin America. Claver-Carone held several positions during the first Trump administration, including senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council. Trump said on social media that Claver-Carone would focus on immigration and fentanyl.
Claver-Carone became president of the Inter-American Development Bank. He was removed from his position in 2022 following an investigation into allegations that he had an affair with a staff member, according to Reuters. He denied the case and, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, accused Biden’s management of orchestrating a smear crusade against him.
Trump also announced that he had nominated Callista Gingrich to serve as U. S. ambassador to Switzerland. Gingrich, Newt Gingrich’s wife, was ambassador to the Vatican during Trump’s first term.
Trump also announced that he would nominate Ken Howery to serve as US ambassador to Denmark. Howery was the US ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first term. “As co-founder of PayPal and the venture capital fund Founders Fund, Ken has transformed American leadership in innovation and technology into stories of global good fortune, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad,” Array Trump wrote.
He also said: “For the purposes of the national security and freedom of the world, the United States of America believes that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity. »
Trump in his first term had explored the idea of buying Greenland, which Denmark’s leadership made clear was not for sale.
President-elect Donald Trump announced several possible options for positions in the Department of Defense on Sunday, December 22.
Trump said he would nominate Stephen Feinberg to be deputy secretary of defense. Feinberg, co-founder and CEO of Cerberus Capital Management, was the head of Trump’s intelligence advisory board during his first term.
Trump also said he had selected Elbridge Colby as undersecretary of defense for policy. Colby was also part of Trump’s first administration, serving as deputy secretary of defense. Colby has spoken in the past with CBS News about his confidence that the U. S. wants to be better prepared to counter China’s growing influence in Asia.
Michael Duffey was announced for the role of under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. “Mike has been a strong advocate for our Warfighters and the American Taxpayer throughout his many years of public service, including in the Department of Defense, and the Office of Management and Budget of my First Administration,” Trump wrote on social media.
During Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed to an email Duffey had sent while serving as associate director for National Security Programs at the Office of Management and Budget — in which he informed the Pentagon of the freeze in aid to Ukraine — as an example of why witnesses should be called during the impeachment trial. Ultimately, no witnesses were called.
Trump also said he had selected Emil Michael, a former Uber executive, to be undersecretary of defense for studies and engineering. “Emil Will, our military has the most technologically complex weapons in the world, while saving our taxpayers a LOT of money,” Trump wrote.
Trump has selected Republican billionaire Tilman Fertitta as U. S. ambassador to Italy, the president-elect announced Dec. 21.
“I must announce that Tilman J. Fertitta has been named United States Ambassador to Italy,” Trump said in a message posted on his Truth Social platform.
Fertitta is the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and CEO of Landry’s Hotel Group, Inc. Earlier this month, other people close to the resolution told CBS News that Trump would pick Fertitta for the job.
During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy. If introduced in the Senate, Fertitta would upgrade the current US ambassador to Italy, Jack Markell.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he had named Mark Burnett as his newly created envoy to the United Kingdom.
The 64-year-old Briton, a prolific television producer, is best known for launching the reality show “Survivor” in the United States. He also created and produced the exhibit “The Apprentice,” which put Trump back in the spotlight in the early 2000s.
A source close to the resolution told CBS News that Burnett was originally listed as a candidate for US ambassador to the United Kingdom, but with dual citizenship, which confuses the situation. That variety ultimately went to Republican donor Warren Stephens, chief executive of investment bank Stephens Inc.
It is unclear what Burnett’s role as envoy will be.
“With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role,” wrote Trump on social media. “Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges.”
Trump added that “Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.”
—Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he had selected David Fink to be the administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
“I am proud to announce that the renowned David Fink, a fifth-generation railroad worker, will be the next Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). David will bring more than 45 years of leadership and good luck in transportation that will propel the FRA into a new era of protection and technological innovation,” Trump wrote on social media.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he had chosen Aaron Reitz as the next head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.
“I am pleased to name Aaron Reitz as the next head of the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy (OLP). Aaron will lead the OLP to expand and implement DOJ’s war plans to advance my law and order timeline. ” and repair the Integrity of our justice formula “Will work with Attorney General candidate Pam Bondi,” Trump wrote on social media.
Reitz is currently the chief of staff for Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who ran for president against Trump in 2016.
President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 that he had decided to have Chad Mizelle serve as chief of staff at the Justice Department.
“I am pleased to announce that Chad Mizelle will serve as Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice, where he will work with our wonderful Attorney General Nominee, Pam Bondi,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Pam Bondi, former Florida attorney general, selected through Donald Trump to serve as US attorney general hours after her first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew after a federal sex trafficking probe and ethics investigation made its ability to be shown is doubtful.
Trump said that in his first term, Mizelle “helped secure our border and prevent the flow of illegal drugs and extraterrestrial beings into our country,” as the general and Department of Homeland Security chief of staff suggests.
“Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will bring accountability, integrity and justice to the Department of Justice,” Trump wrote.
President-elect Donald Trump announced Dec. 17 that he has selected former Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker as his pick for U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
Walker is a former college and NFL football star whose unsuccessful 2022 campaign in the runoff election against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was plagued by controversy.
“Herschel has spent decades serving as an ambassador for our country’s youth, our men and military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump said in a Truth Social article when making the selection.
The variety will still have to be shown through the Senate. Kimberly Furnish has been the embassy’s chargé d’affaires since June, and the U. S. hasn’t had an acting ambassador to the Bahamas since 2011. In 2017, Trump chose billionaire Doug Manchester for the position, but the selection fell through and CBS News reports a 2019 investigation revealed a potential pay-per-play scheme involving the Republican National Committee and Manchester, which eventually withdrew his name.
During his Senate bid, Walker, who ran on an anti-abortion platform, was forced to face accusations that he had already paid for two women’s abortions, claims that the election campaign vehemently denied.
The race was closely watched as Warnock’s victory gave Democrats a narrow majority of 51 seats in the Senate. They lost this majority in the November elections.
Despite his loss in 2022, Walker remained a surrogate for Trump in the 2024 election, which held him back during the election campaign.
President-elect Trump announced on December 17 that he would nominate Nicole McGraw to be the US ambassador to Croatia.
“Nicole is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and World renowned art collector. She opened her first art gallery in Palm Beach Gardens in 2006, and has since built a client base that spans the Globe, as well as a successful hedge fund specializing in fine art investments,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump announced his picks for several other ambassadorships on Monday, December 16.
He appointed Lou Rinaldi as his ambassador for the national team in Uruguay. “Lou, a successful businessman, entrepreneur and lifelong friend, brings a lifetime of delight and exclusivity to this vital role,” Trump wrote in an article on Truth Social. “Having grown up in Uruguay, he has a deep understanding of the country’s culture and history. ”
Leah Francis Campos, Trump’s pick for ambassador to the Dominican Republic, previously served as a CIA case officer and then a senior adviser for the Western Hemisphere for the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She is also the sister of Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, and Campos’ brother-in-law, former congressman Sean Duffy, is Trump’s pick for secretary of transportation.
Trump chose Arthur Graham Fisher, founder of a North Carolina real estate company, as ambassador to Austria. “Art supports America First’s policies and will make us proud in Austria!” he wrote.
And Stacey Feinberg chosen as ambassador to Luxembourg. Trump said Feinberg worked with her father at his sports and entertainment law firm before becoming a Broadway producer, motivational speaker and serving on the board of directors of the Women Founders Network.
Trump announced on Monday, Dec. 16, that George Glass is his choice for U.S. ambassador to Japan. Glass’ likely pick was first reported by CBS News last week.
Glass served as ambassador to Portugal during the first Trump administration. Prior to that, he worked in investment banking and real estate.
“A man of very good reputation. It’s true,” Trump said when asked at a news conference if Glass was his choice. “Very respectable. He has already been an ambassador and has done a fantastic job. We, Japan, are very important. He is very reputable. “
—Jennifer Jacobs, Ed O’Keefe and Fin Gómez
Trump on Dec. 14 announced that he has selected Richard Grenell as his presidential envoy for special missions, a new position.
Grenell, 58, a longtime Trump loyalist, served as acting director of U. S. national intelligence and U. S. ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term.
Grenell, however, resigned as ambassador in June 2020 after straining relations with Germany over his public positions on a number of issues, adding that he expressed support for right-wing European political movements and threatening to withdraw US troops from Germany. in the middle of the first Trump administration. of NATO.
In early 2020, previous political consulting work he allegedly conducted for foreign entities drew scrutiny from Senate Democrats over allegations that he may have presented a clash of interest with his positions as ambassador and acting director of the DNI.
Grenell also served as the State Department’s spokesperson to the United Nations under George W. Bush.
It’s unclear exactly what the newly created position entails, but Trump in a Truth Social article wrote that Grenell “will work in some of the world’s locations, including Venezuela and North Korea. ”
Trump announced Dec. 14 that he has tapped Edward Walsh to serve as U.S. ambassador to Ireland.
Walsh is president and founder of Walsh Company, a real estate company based in New Jersey.
If introduced in the Senate, Walsh would upgrade Claire Cronin, the current US ambassador to Ireland.
Trump announced on December 14 that he plans to name Troy Edgar as deputy secretary of Homeland Security.
“Troy previously served as chief financial officer and deputy assistant secretary for Homeland Security Management, where he performed notable work managing its $90 billion budget, resourcing critical immigration policies, and investing in the structure of the wall,” he wrote on social media. media. Edgar is most recently an IBM executive, Trump said.
Trump noted that Edgar previously served as mayor of Los Alamitos, California, and said he “helped me lead the city and county revolt against sanctuary cities in 2018. ”
Trump pledged to adopt the largest deportation program in history.
Trump announced on Dec. 14 on Truth Social that he had selected former California Rep. Devin Nunes to chair the President’s Intelligence Advisory Council.
Nunes, a staunch Trump ally, served in the House for about two decades before resigning from Congress in January 2022 to assume his current role as CEO of Trump’s Truth Social platform.
Since its status quo in 1956, the role of the PIAB has been to provide the President with “an independent source of recommendations on how effectively the intelligence network meets the country’s intelligence desires and on the vigor and acumen with which the network plans for the future. “”, according to his government description.
In his announcement, Trump indicated that Nunes would be the CEO of Truth Social.
Nunes was chair of the House Intelligence Committee, but in 2017 recused himself from the committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election because of an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics into allegations that he may have leaked classified information.
Trump wrote that Nunes “will draw on his experience as former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his key role in exposing the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, to provide me with independent assessments of the effectiveness and propriety of the U.S. Intelligence Community’s activities.”
He added that the advisory board will be made up of “prominent citizens outside the federal government. “
On Dec. 14, Trump chose businessman Bill White as U. S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
In an article in Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Bill is a highly reputable businessman, philanthropist, and advocate for our nation’s military, veterans, and first responders. He is the CEO of Constellations Group and former President of Intrepid Sea. The Aerospace Museum is pleased to announce that Bill White will serve as the U. S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
He said White raised “over $1.5 Billion Dollars for our fallen heroes, catastrophically wounded, and severely burned Service Members.”
On December 11, Trump nominated Michael J. Rigas as undersecretary for control and resources.
“Michael will bring accountability to the State Department as he did Government wide, when he served in my First Term as the Deputy and Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the Acting Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget,” Trump wrote.
Trump announced in December that he would nominate Daniel Newlin as ambassador to Colombia.
“A highly accomplished executive, businessman and former sheriff’s detective, Dan has an impressive 28-year career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida,” Trump said.
Newlin is the founder of the Florida-based company Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys.
“With his law enforcement experience in handling complex foreign issues and his business savvy that fosters economic partnerships, Newlin presents himself as a staunch defender of American interests and an advocate for strengthening ties and differences in the world,” Trump said. Matrix “Dan will do a wonderful job!”
Trump announced he plans to nominate Peter Lamelas for the role of ambassador to Argentina on Dec. 11. Lamelas is the founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, which has multiple locations in Florida.
“I have already nominated him to serve on the Department of Justice’s Medal of Valor Review Committee, which honors the bravery of our nation’s first responders,” Trump wrote on social media. “He served on the Florida Board of Medicine and as a city commissioner in Manalapan, Florida. ”
Trump has tapped former longtime television news anchor Kari Lake, who lost her bid to become one of Arizona’s senators in 2024 and the state governor in 2022, to serve as director of the U.S.-run broadcaster Voice of America. Trump in his announcement also noted he would soon announce who will head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America.
Following Trump’s announcement, Lake wrote on social media that she was “honored” to be selected.
“Under my leadership, VOA will excel in its pursuit of chronicling American achievements in the world,” Lake said. “
Trump announced on Dec. 11 that he has selected Leandro Rizzuto Jr. for the role of ambassador to the Organization of American States. Rizzuto Jr. is the son of Leandro Rizzuto, the founder of Conair, where Rizzuto Jr. also spent his career.
Rizzuto Jr. previously served as the senior official of the U. S. consul general in Bermuda toward the end of Trump’s first term. Trump originally nominated Rizzuto Jr. to serve as ambassador to Barbados in 2018, but the Senate voted not to verify him.
“Lee will be fantastic as our next Ambassador to the OAS!” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump announced on December 10 that he would name former US ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, as his next ambassador to Mexico.
Johnson, an Army veteran and career civil servant, served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first term.
“Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies,” Trump said in post to Truth Social.
Johnson served in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1998, retiring as a colonel. He then joined the CIA, where he held various roles, including as CIA science and technology liaison to the U.S. Special Operations Command.
Trump’s election comes after he threatened last month to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian imports when he took office in January, in reaction to drug trafficking and the border crisis.
This prompted a call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who also suggested that Mexico might simply retaliate if it followed through on its threat.
Billionaire Tilman Fertitta, CEO of Landry’s, Inc. and owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, is Trump’s pick for the post of U. S. ambassador to Italy, other people familiar with the resolution told CBS News on Dec. 10.
The transition declined to comment.
Fertitta, a Trump friend and longtime Republican Party donor, runs Landry’s Inc. , a Texas-based company that owns hotels, restaurants and casinos.
Fertitta, who starred in a reality TV show on CNBC called “Billion Dollar Buyer,” owns more than 600 properties in 36 states and in over 15 countries, according the company’s website, including the iconic Golden Nugget Casino, Morton’s The Steakhouse, the Palm Restaurant and Joe’s Crab Shack.
Fertitta joined Trump, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for the launch of a Starship rocket in Texas in November.
During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy.
Trump has selected Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, as the U. S. ambassador to Greece, the president-elect announced on Dec. 10.
The 55-year-old Guilfoyle dated Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., and served as a fundraiser during his presidential campaign. She appeared on stage with Trump and his family on election night, and also delivered an address at the Republican National Convention in July.
“Kimberly is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social.
Guilfoyle served as a prosecutor in California early in his career. She is divorced from the Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom.
“I am honored to accept President Trump’s nomination as the next ambassador to Greece and look ahead to winning the US Senate seat,” she wrote in her own social media post.
—Jennifer Jacobs and Fin Gómez
Trump announced Dec. 10 that he has selected Andrew Ferguson as his pick to lead the Federal Trade Commission.
Since April, Ferguson has been one of the FTC’s commissioners. If introduced in the Senate, it would upgrade incumbent Democratic Speaker Lina Khan.
Prior to serving as an FTC commissioner, he was solicitor general of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was also previously chief counsel to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
“Andrew has a proven track record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and protective, laid-back speech in our wonderful country,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social article when announcing his election.
The FTC is tasked with enforcing antitrust and consumer protection laws.
Trump’s decision comes on the same day that an Oregon federal ruling temporarily blocked Kroger’s $24. 6 billion acquisition of rival supermarket chain Albertsons in reaction to a lawsuit filed through the FTC and eight state and District of Columbia attorneys general opposed the deal. arguing that it would obstruct competition, increase costs and harm workers.
Trump announced on Truth Social on Dec. 10 that confidant and top donor Tom Barrack as his pick to serve as ambassador to Turkey. Barrack, 77, is a billionaire investor who was an adviser to Trump during his first term and also served as the chair of his 2016 Inaugural Committee. In 2022, Barrack was accused of using his connections to the Trump administration to try to sway U.S. foreign policy for a client, the United Arab Emirates, but a New York jury found him not guilty of all charges.
Trump announced on December 8 that Alina Habba, a lawyer who has represented the president-elect in legal proceedings in recent years, would be the president’s adviser.
“She has demonstrated unwavering loyalty and unmatched determination; she has stood by me through many trials, battles, and countless days in court,” Trump said in a statement.
Trump on Dec. 8 said he will tap Michael Anton for State Department director of policy planning. Anton was a member of the National Security Council during Trump’s first term.
Trump announced on December 8 that he had selected Michael Needham as his State Department adviser. Needham was once a staff leader to Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick to head the State Department.
“He has been on the front lines of the fight for America’s forgotten men and women for nearly two decades and will do a wonderful job in the state,” Trump wrote on social media as he pronounced his choice.
Trump said on Dec. 8 that he will nominate Christopher Landau for deputy secretary of state. Landau was the United States ambassador to Mexico during Trmp’s first term.
“He is also one of our country’s lawyers and has worked with Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the U. S. Supreme Court,” Trump said on social media.
On Dec. 5, Trump announced Rodney Scott as his pick to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Scott served as chief of U.S. Border Patrol beginning in 2020, during Trump’s first term, and briefly after President Biden took office. He began his career with the agency in 1992.
“Rodney has served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, gaining a wealth of experience and wisdom in law enforcement and border security,” Trump said in a social media post.
Scott was a vocal critical of the Biden administration’s policies at the U.S.-Mexico border. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace the current commissioner, Troy Miller.
Last month, Trump said that immediately after taking office, he would impose 25 percent price lists on goods from Mexico and Canada until either country stopped the passage of drugs and migrants across the border at will.
CBP is part of the U. S. Homeland Security Decomponent. It has around 60,000 workers and is guilty of fighting terrorism, fighting transnational crime, protecting borders and facilitating industry and travel.
Trump announced Dec. 5 that he has picked former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia as his U.S. ambassador to China.
In an article for Truth Social, Trump said Perdue “brings us valuable experience in building our relationships with China. “
Perdue, a wealthy businessman and close best friend of Trump, served in the Senate from 2015 to 2021, when he lost his reelection bid to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a runoff. He also ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial race in the number one 2022 Republican election in an effort to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
Last month, Trump said he planned to impose new 10% price lists on all imports from China upon taking office, as well as 25% price lists on products from Canada and Mexico. Business circles warn that such moves could trigger inflation and trigger an industrial war.
Trump announced on December 5 that he will turn to venture capitalist David Sacks as his so-called “White House A. I. “
In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said that Sacks “will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness.”
It’s unclear exactly what Sacks’ role will be. The move comes a day after Trump selected Paul Atkins as his nominee to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins is one of the leading proponents of cryptocurrencies. On the same day as Atkins’ appointment, the value of Bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark for the first time, a milestone for the industry.
Sacks, who played a key role in PayPal’s progress, was its chief operating officer and later founded the social media service Yammer. He has also been an angel investor in primaries such as SpaceX, Uber and Palantir.
Sacks, a former supporter of Democrat Hillary Clinton, supported Trump and Vice President-elect J. D. Vance in the last election cycle and was an early adopter of Trump’s tech ATM, urging other Silicon Valley citizens to donate to Trump.
He spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.
Trump announced on Dec. 5 that he had nominated Caleb Vitello as acting director of U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Vitello is currently assistant director of ICE’s Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. He previously served as director of interior enforcement in the White House National Security Council in Trump’s first term.
ICE, founded in 2003, has more than 20,000 workers and an annual budget of approximately $8 billion. It is part of the United States National Security Decomposition and is primarily guilty of enforcing immigration and fighting transnational crime and terrorism. Among his decrees is the arrest of undocumented immigrants.
Trump announced on Dec. 4 that he would nominate Frank Bisignano to lead the Social Security Administration. Bisignano currently serves as President and CEO of Fiserv, a money and invoice generation company.
“Frank is a business leader, with a tremendous track record of transforming large corporations,” Trump wrote on social media. “He will be responsible to deliver on the Agency’s commitment to the American People for generations to come!”
Trump announced on Dec. 4 that he would pick former Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia to head the Small Business Administration.
In short, Loeffler served in the Senate from 2020 to 2021. She was appointed to the position following the resignation of former Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, but lost her bid for a full term about a year later to incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff election. . Training
In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said “Kelly will bring her experience in business and Washington to reduce red tape, and unleash opportunity for our Small Businesses to grow, innovate, and thrive. She will focus on ensuring that SBA is accountable to Taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud, and regulatory overreach.”
Loeffler, a Trump loyalist, highlighted efforts to nullify the effects of the 2020 election. She co-owned the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream team but sold the franchise in 2021 after receiving backlash for publicly criticizing the league for its Black Lives Matter movement.
She was also briefly investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee over allegations of insider trading before the pandemic, but that investigation was dropped.
Trump announced in December that he had selected Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Atkins, a cryptocurrency advocate, served as SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008, appointed through then-Chairman George W. He is most recently CEO of Patomak Global Partners.
In his announcement on Truth Social, Trump called Atkins “a proven leader for common sense regulations” who “believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of investors” and “that provide capital to make our economy the best in the world.”
If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace current SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who has been aggressive in his oversight of the crypto industry.
During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to fire Gensler, who has since announced he would step down from office on Jan. 20, despite serving a five-year term until 2026.
Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister announced on social media on Dec. 3 that he was dropping his bid for DEA leadership after Trump hired him to run the firm on Nov. 30.
Chronicler has served as sheriff of Hillsborough County in Florida since 2017. Hillsborough County encompasses much of the Tampa Bay area. He has worked in the ministry for 32 years.
The DEA, a component of the Justice Department, has approximately 10,000 workers and is responsible for enforcing US drug laws. One of his major executive orders addresses the opioid crisis.
Trump announced on December 2 that he would call Republican donor Warren Stephens as the next ambassador to the United Kingdom. Trump called Stephens, CEO of investment bank Stephens Inc. , “one of the maximum a success businessmen” in the United States and said he “always dreamed of serving the United States full-time. “
Trump announced on December 1 that he had selected businessman Massad Boulos as his top adviser on Arab and Middle East affairs. Trump described Boulos, father of Tiffany Trump’s husband, as a “dealmaker. ”
Trump announced on Nov. 30 that he plans to name Kash Patel as his director of the FBI.
Current FBI Director Chris Wray would have to leave his post voluntarily or be fired through Trump if he were replaced before his term ends in 2027.
One source previously told CBS News the Trump team was aware of the complexities involved in ousting Wray.
Patel held intelligence and defense positions during Trump’s first term, serving as the Secretary of Defense’s staff leader.
In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump called Patel “a brilliant lawyer, investigator, and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, defending Justice, and protecting the American People.”
Patel, 44, held intelligence and defense positions during Trump’s first term, adding the defense secretary as his chief of staff. He was also appointed through Trump as a representative to the National Archives and Records Administration and testified before a federal grand jury in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case.
He is a lawyer and staunch Trump loyalist who rose to prominence as an aide to former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of California in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The University College London graduate served on Trump’s National Security Council, then as a senior adviser to acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, and later as leader to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.
Patel published an e-book in 2023 called “Government Gangsters,” which received praise from Trump and in which Patel writes that “the FBI has committed itself so completely that it will continue to be a risk to others unless drastic action is taken. “
“This is the roadmap to ending deep state government,” Trump said on Truth Social in September 2023.
—Libby Cathey, Jake Rosen, Fin Gomez and Ed O’Keefe
Trump announced on Nov. 30 that he had selected real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his ambassador to France.
Charles Kushner, 70, was pardoned by Trump in his first term for a 2005 federal conviction on 18 counts of complicity in filing false tax returns, retaliation against a cooperating witness and making false statements to the FEC, for which Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison. prison. This case was prosecuted through former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Jared Kushner served as Trump’s senior adviser during his first term and is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
In an article published in Truth Social announcing the move, Trump called Kushner “a formidable business leader, philanthropist, and negotiator who will be a champion of representing our country and its interests. “
Trump announced retired Gen. Keith Kellogg as his envoy for Ukraine and Russia in a Nov. 27 social media post, writing that he “had an outstanding military and business career, and also served on very sensitive national security issues in my first administration. “
Kellogg served as National Security Council staff leader and national security adviser during former Vice President Mike Pence Trump’s first term. He will assume the role of assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia ahead of Russia’s three years. Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Trump has said he plans to name Jim O’Neill as undersecretary of fitness and human services. O’Neill held several positions within HHS, including principal associate undersecretary under George W. Bush. I am also executive director of the Thiel Foundation from 2009 to 2012.
“Jim and RFK Jr. will fight in unison to ensure every American, and especially our most precious resource, our children, will live long and healthy lives and, Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Trump said Nov. 26.
Trump announced on November 26 that he had selected Jamieson Greer as his representative of American industry. Grier, an industry lawyer, would play a leading role in Trump’s plans to approve broad price lists if confirmed. Trump noted in his announcement that Greer “played a key role in my first term in enforcing price lists in China” while working under the then-U. S. government. regime. Sales representative Robert Lighthizer.
Trump announced on November 26 that he had selected Jay Bhattacharya as director of the National Institutes of Health. The president-elect said Bhattacharya “will work cooperatively with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ,” Trump’s nominee for HHS secretary, “to lead the nation’s medical studies and make vital discoveries that will improve health and save lives. “
Bhattacharya is currently director of the Stanford Center for Demography, Health Economics and Aging. He was one of the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter that opposed widespread COVID-19 lockdowns before a vaccine was available, and advocated for healthy people to return to living as before to expand the herd immunity and at the same time “better protect the population. ” those who are healthy. at higher risk.
“Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will repair the NIH to gold in medical studies by examining the underlying reasons and answers to America’s greatest health challenges, adding to our chronic disease crisis,” Trump said.
The president-elect chose businessman John Phelan as Secretary of the Navy. Phelan is co-founder and president of the investment firm Rugger Management, in Palm Beach, Florida, and co-founder of MSD Capital, the personal investment company of Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell.
Phelan served in the military.
“His incredible wisdom and experience will improve the lives of the brave Americans who serve our nation,” Trump said in his Nov. 26 announcement. “John will generate genuine effects for our Navy and our country. I hope to race with him. “
Trump announced on November 26 that Vince Haley would serve as director of his Domestic Policy Council. Haley was director of policy and speechwriting for the president-elect’s 2024 campaign. He was also a key figure in the speechwriting branch during Trump’s first term.
Brooke Rollins has been selected to lead the US Department of Agriculture, Trump on November 23.
Rollins was part of Trump’s first term as director of the Domestic Policy Council. She is currently president of the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing think tank.
“Brooke’s commitment to support the American farmer, defense of American food self-sufficiency, and the restoration of agriculture-dependent American small towns is second to none,” Trump said in his statement.
On November 22, Trump announced that he would nominate hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent to be Treasury secretary.
Bessent, 62, is the founder of Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group and had lobbied for Trump’s job, according to a source deeply concerned about making plans for the transition.
In a statement, Trump said he was “very pleased to nominate” Bessent, describing him as “widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest foreign investors and geopolitical and economic strategists. “
Bessent, like Trump, advocates tariffs, seeing them as a way to boost American profits and industries.
He once worked for billionaire investor George Soros, a major donor to liberal causes, for about a decade in the 1990s, and at one point was CEO of Soros’s hedge fund.
Bessent is also gay, and he and his husband, former New York District Attorney John Freeman, have two children. If revealed, Bessent would be the first gay member to pass the Senate in a Republican administration. Bessent, a native of South Carolina, is a graduate of Yale University.
Trump would nominate Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, a first-term Republican, to head the Labor Department.
He lost his re-election bid to Democratic rival Janelle Bynum in the race for Oregon’s fifth congressional district.
“Lori has worked tirelessly with the business network and the Labor Party to strengthen the American workforce and help working men and women in America,” Trump said in pronouncing his choice on Nov. 22.
Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien thanked Trump for “putting American people first” in making the decision.
On November 22, Trump announced that he would name Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as the nation’s surgeon general.
Neshiwat is a double board-certified medical doctor practicing in New York, where she is currently medical director at the CityMD chain of urgent care centers. She is also a Fox News medical contributor.
In a statement, Trump praised her as an “advocate and communicator for preventive medicine and public health. “
He noted, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s Historic Operation Warp Speed that saved hundreds of millions of lives.”
Dr. Marty Makary was named commissioner of Trump’s Food and Drug Administration on November 22.
Makary is a surgeon at Johns Hopkins and a professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
Markary is also the longtime best friend of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, and well-liked in so-called “health freedom” circles.
The FDA is a company within HHS, and Trump said in his speech that Makary would “work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Makary appeared to promote ideas that were against those of mainstream medicine, suggesting “natural immunity” lessened people’s need for the vaccine. He also argued many children did not need to be vaccinated against the disease.
Scott Turner, former NFL player, selected by Trump on November 22 to be his secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Turner served in Trump’s first term as executive director of the White House Revitalization and Opportunities Council. Turner is also the highest-ranking black user to be so elected during Trump’s administration, according to the Associated Press.
Trump has chosen former Rep. Dave Weldon, who is also a Florida physician, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Weldon, who served in Congress for 14 years, was first elected in 1994. He has also been a doctor for 40 years, Trump noted. In 2012, four years after leaving the House, Weldon ran for the Senate but lost in the Republican primary.
Weldon is a conservative Christian who also worried in the 2005 fight about whether to remove the feeding tube supporting Terri Schiavo, a brain-injured woman whose husband had given permission through state court to let her die. Weldon introduced a bill to force federal government review of the case.
Weldon believed that Schiavo was not in a vegetative state. While he was in Congress, he served on the House Oversight Committee, the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, and worked on budget issues involving the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC.
Trump, in announcing Weldon’s appointment, said he would “prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC.”
Trump said Nov. 22 he will name Russ Vought as OMB director. Vought served in this role in the latter part of the first Trump administration.
Vought helped draft the conservative Heritage Foundation’s 2025 draft, which is a detailed plan for the next Republican president to usher in sweeping overhaul of the executive branch.
He served as political director of the 2024 Republican National Committee Platform Committee, which followed the Republican Party’s platform at the July convention.
On Nov. 21, the same day Trump’s first pick for the job, former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida withdrew from consideration as attorney general, the president-elect announced the former attorney general of Florida, Pam Bondi, would be his new nominee.
Bondi served two terms as Florida attorney general and was the first woman to win election to office in 2010. She was a staunch best friend of Trump and defended him in his first impeachment trial.
Bondi later worked with Linda McMahon and other Trump allies at the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing tank that has been devising and selling conservative policies since 2021.
On Nov. 14, Trump made one of his first Cabinet announcements, ally and embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. The pick was immediately met with backlash, especially since the House Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz for alleged illicit drug use and sexual misconduct. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly afterward and said he did not intend to serve in the new Congress, putting into question if the House Ethics report would ever be released from the public.
But Gaetz’s nomination collapsed within a week. On November 21, he withdrew his candidacy for attorney general, saying that “Trump’s Justice Department will have to be in position from day one. ” Trump temporarily nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to update Gaetz. Gaetz said his resignation from the 119th Congress would stand and the House Ethics Committee ultimately rescinded release of the report.
Trump announced he has chosen Pete Hoekstra to serve as U.S. ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra, the current chair of the Michigan Republican Party and a former congressman who represented Michigan’s 2nd district, also served as U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term.
“He has done a remarkable job as U. S. ambassador to the Netherlands for our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to constitute our country well in this new role,” Trump wrote on social media on Nov. 20.
Trump announced that he had selected Matthew Whitaker, his former acting US attorney general, as US ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said in a statement that Whitaker would “strengthen relationships with our NATO allies and provide companionship in the face of threats to peace and stability. ”
Whitaker, 55, has a legal background, not a foreign policy one. He was appointed U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by George W. Bush.
Whitaker served as Trump’s acting attorney general for a few months, from November 2018 to February 2019.
Trump announced he has chosen Linda McMahon run the Department of Education. McMahon, a former wrestling executive, led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term and is co-chair of his 2024 transition team.
“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘choice’ in each and every U. S. state and empower parents to make the most productive educational decisions for their families,” Trump said in a statement of November 19. “Linda will be the spearhead of this effort. ”
During the campaign, Trump pledged to shut down the department, complaining that the agency’s budget is too large and that its staff “in many cases hate our children.”
McMahon and her husband, WWE mogul Vince McMahon, have been friends with Trump for more than 20 years and are among his biggest donors.
Trump selected Dr. Mehmet Oz, a celebrity heart surgeon who hosted a daytime television show, to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. The agency falls under the Department of Health and Human Services and oversees Medicare, the federal portion of the Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and federal health insurance marketplace.
“The United States is facing a physical care crisis and there is arguably no physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to get America back in shape,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 19. “He is a world-class leading physician, cardiac surgeon, inventor and communicator, who has been at the forefront of a fitness lifestyle for decades.
The president-elect said Oz would work with Kennedy, if he were to run the Department of Health and Human Services, “to confront the disease-commercial complex and all the terrible chronic diseases that exist within it. ” emerge. ” He also indicated there could be cuts to CMS, writing that Oz will also “reduce waste and fraud at our nation’s most expensive government agency, which accounts for one-third of our country’s physical care spending and one-quarter of our total national budget.
Oz was defeated by Democrat John Fetterman in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race after beating Trump.
Trump announced on Nov. 19 his intent to nominate billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. The president-elect said Lutnick “will lead our tariff and trade agenda” and oversee the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Lutnick, executive director of Cantor Fitzgerald, was co-chair of Trump’s transition and a major donor to his campaign.
Citing his role in the transition, Trump said Lutnick “created the most complicated procedure and formula for creating the greatest administration America has ever known. “
Trump announced on Nov. 18 that he would nominate former Congressman Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation. Duffy represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019, served on the House Financial Services Committee and, before that, was Ashland County District Attorney. , Wisconsin. After leaving Congress, he joined Fox News as a contributor and now co-hosts an exhibition on Fox Business.
“He will prioritize excellence, skill, competitiveness and good looks as he rebuilds America’s roads, tunnels, bridges and airports. He will make our ports and dams serve our economy without compromising our national security,” Trump said in a statement. noted that Duffy is married to Fox News’ Rachel Campos-Duffy and is the father of nine children.
Trump announced on Nov. 17 that he had tapped Brendan Carr, Elon Musk’s best friend and technology critic, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Trump called Carr a “free speech warrior. ”
Carr is currently the most level-headed Republican on the FCC, which oversees television and radio licensing, home Internet pricing and other communications issues in the United States.
Trump has selected Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright as his pick to lead the U.S. Department of Energy.
Trump also said Nov. 16 that Wright would serve on the newly created National Energy Council, which will be chaired by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for Interior secretary.
Trump said in his announcement that the council “will oversee the path to U.S. energy dominance.”
Wright has been a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking, and has said “there is no climate crisis and we are not in the midst of an energy transition either.”
Steven Cheung was the most level-headed spokesman for Trump’s presidential campaign and served as communications director. He returns to the White House after running for director of strategic reaction during Trump’s first term. His name will be assistant to the president and director of communications.
Trump announced Cheung and Gor’s selections together, saying in a statement that he is “thrilled to have them join my White House as we, Make America Great Again!”
Karoline Leavitt, who was the national press secretary for Trump’s presidential campaign, will be White House press secretary. She worked in the White House during Trump’s first term as assistant press secretary.
“Karoline is intelligent and has proven to be a very effective communicator. I am confident that she will excel on the podium,” Trump said in a Nov. 15 statement.
The 27-year-old previously ran an unsuccessful race for Congress in New Hampshire.
Todd Blanche has been chosen to serve as deputy attorney general, the second-highest position in the Justice Department. Blanche defended Trump in his “hush money” trial in New York. (Trump was found guilty in that case; he denied any wrongdoing and vowed to appeal. )
Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, noting on Nov. 14 that he would pass after the “food industrial complex and pharmaceutical corporations that have engaged in hoaxes, misinformation, and misinformation” and that he would “make America healthy again. “
Kennedy has a long history of criticizing vaccines, spreading misleading claims about their safety.
Kennedy is committed to fighting an “epidemic” of chronic diseases and believes that large pharmaceutical and food corporations are to blame for a wide diversity of diseases. He said a number of fitness disorders have worsened as a result of federal inaction, adding autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sleep disorders, infertility rates, diabetes and obesity. He also advocated eliminating fluoride from drinking water.
Kennedy ran for president as an independent, but dropped out of the race in August and Trump.
Trump tapped former Republican Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, filling another Cabinet position with a military veteran.
Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and, as the most level-headed Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, defended Trump in his first impeachment hearing.
“We will have to take care of our brave men and women in uniform,” Trump said Nov. 14 when making his selection.
Speaking Nov. 14 at Mar-a-Lago at a gala hosted by the right-wing America First Policy Institute, Trump said he plans to officially nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as interior secretary.
“He’s actually going to run the Department of the Interior and he’s going to be fantastic,” Trump told the crowd. Burgum also present.
Burgum opposed Trump for the Republican nomination before dropping out in December and endorsing Trump the following month. At one point he was also on a short list to be Trump’s running mate.
When asked by reporters ahead of the gala about the possibility of joining the Trump administration, Burgum responded, “There’s been a lot of discussions about a lot of different things. And…like I said…nothing’s true till you read it on Truth Social.”
Trump made the announcement official on Nov. 15, saying Burgum would also head “the newly formed and very vital National Energy Council. “Trump said the council would come with all departments and agencies involved in “the authorization, generation, distribution, and regulation and transmission of ALL of the American energy bureaucracy. ”
Trump announced that he has selected former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as his director of national intelligence.
“For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our country and the freedoms of all Americans,” he said in a statement on Nov. 13.
Gabbard served in the Army National Guard and represented Hawaii in the House from 2013 to 2021 before becoming an independent in 2022. In his statement, Trump said she “is now a proud Republican!” Gabbard ran for president in the Democratic primaries in 2020.
Gabbard has no intelligence experience and opposes US intervention in the Ukraine war. His perspectives on Russia and his 2017 meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad sparked controversy.
Sergio Gor, co-founder and director of Donald Trump Jr. ‘s publishing company, Winning Team Publishing, will take on the key leadership role of the Office of Presidential Personnel in the new Trump administration, the president-elect announced.
Gor also ran the pro-Trump super PAC Right for America, which he funded in part through billionaire Ike Perlmutter and raised about $80 million to support Trump’s 2024 White House bid.
The director of the PPO controls thousands of administratively appointed people. The office was previously led by John McEntee at the end of the first Trump administration.
—Fin Gomez and Jake Rosen
Trump announced four top advisers — Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, James Blair and Taylor Budowich — who worked on his presidential campaign will join him in the White House as members of his senior staff. They will all serve as assistants to the president and deputy chiefs of staff overseeing specific areas.
“Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” Trump said on Nov. 13. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.”
Scavino will serve as deputy chief of staff and is described through Trump as one of his “oldest and most trusted aides. “He served as deputy chief of staff for communications and director of social media during Trump’s first term.
Miller, who also worked in the White House for Trump during his first four years in office, will return as deputy director of the policy staff and national security adviser. Miller pleaded with the president-elect for his first term and crafted the administration’s difficult immigration policies.
Blair will serve as deputy leader of legislative, political and public affairs. He served as political director of Trump’s crusade and the Republican National Committee, overseeing a portfolio of operations and political programs, the president-elect said.
Budowich has been named deputy chief of staff for Communications and Personnel. He held a leadership position in Trump’s Save America PAC and served as executive director of PAC MAGA Inc.
Trump said on Nov. 13 that he intended to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida for secretary of state. This variety marks a certain distance from the time when Trump and the Florida senator were rivals in the 2016 Republican primary.
Rubio, 53, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is a China hawk with extensive foreign policy experience.
Trump also announced on Nov. 12 that he will nominate former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to head the Department of Defense.
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” the president-elect said in a statement.
Trump praised Hegseth’s military record as an Army combat veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Hegseth, 44, was a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekends” and author of the book “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” which rails against what he calls the “warped, woke, and caustic policies of our current military.”
Trump demonstrated in a Nov. 12 statement that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was his choice to lead DHS, praising her for being “very strong on border security. “
Noem, who elected governor in 2018 after serving 8 years in the House, supported Trump’s bid for reelection in 2023 and joined him on several crusades. She had been considered as a possible choice for vice president before the campaign.
Noem sparked controversy earlier this year when her new book, “No Going Back,” falsely claimed she met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and revealed that she shot and killed her 14-month-old dog CricketArray after failures.
Former U. S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, who was director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, is the choice for CIA director.
The president-elect announced the appointment in a social media post on Nov. 12, praising Ratcliffe for investigating Hunter Biden and the FBI’s use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
“John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. And noting Ratcliffe’s role in his first administration, Trump said. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions.”
The president-elect has selected Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, as U. S. ambassador to Israel. The position requires Senate confirmation.
“Mike has been a great public servant, governor, and leader in faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 12. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”
Huckabee served as governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016. After leaving office, he hosted an exhibition on Fox News and a radio broadcast.
On Nov. 12, Trump announced that he would nominate his billionaire best friend Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, a former rival leader of the Republican Party, to lead a new Department of Government Effectiveness, called DOGE, which is also the name of a touted cryptocurrency. through musk.
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (“DOGE”). Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” Trump said in a statement, adding a quote from Musk, who said: “This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!”
Trump said his duties might not officially be part of the government, but would “provide recommendations and guidance from the outside. ” He indicated that his paintings “will be finished no later than July 4, 2026. ”
Trump presented the position of US ambassador to the United Nations to Representative Elise Stefanik.
Stefanik, who represents a district in upstate New York, is a vocal and staunch Trump ally and the No. 4 House Republican as chair of the House Republican Conference.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 11.
Stefanik dropped out of the conference chair race and confirmed in a letter to fellow Republicans that she had spoken with Trump and “shared how deeply revered I am for settling for his nomination. “
The role of ambassador to the UN requires Senate confirmation.
Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla. , has been named national security adviser. Trump praised his military record and his experience in China, Russia, Iran and terrorism.
“Mike has been a strong supporter of my ‘America First’ foreign policy calendar and will be a formidable advocate for our pursuit of peace through strength. ” » declared the president-elect in a press conference on November 11.
Waltz, a Green Beret veteran who served combat missions in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, was elected to Congress in 2018, replacing Ron DeSantis, who was elected governor of Florida.
Waltz, a China hawk, is part of the House Task Force on China that aims to expand responses to fight the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. He also expressed skepticism about offering more aid to Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion.
Trump announced Nov. 11 that he will nominate former New York Republican congressman Lee Zeldin to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
“Lee, with a solid legal background, has been a true fighter for the policies of the United States first. He will want fair and timely deregulatory decisions to be passed in a way that unleashes the strength of corporate AmericaArray while maintaining the highest environmental standards,” Trump said. he said in a statement.
Zeldin wrote: “I am honored to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator. “
Zeldin represented New York’s first congressional district, on Long Island, from 2015 to 2023, and ran for governor in 2022, but was defeated by Governor Kathy Hochul.
Trump announced on November 10 that Tom Homan would be the “border czar” in his new administration. Homan was the acting director of U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration.
“I am pleased to announce that former ICE Director and border pillar Tom Homan will be joining the Trump administration, as it pertains to our nation’s borders,” the president-elect wrote on his Truth website. Social.
In addition to overseeing the southern and northern borders and “air and maritime security,” Trump said Homan “would support all deportations of illegal extraterrestrial beings to their home countries,” a major theme of Trump’s crusade.
This role does not require Senate confirmation.
Homan was recently interviewed by 60 Minutes’ Cecilia Vega before the election. During the conversation, he said Trump’s mass deportation plan would be implemented.
“I hear a lot of people say, you know, the talk of a mass deportation is racist. It’s— it’s— it’s threatening to the immigrant community. It’s not threatening to the immigrant community,” Homan said. “It should be threatening to the illegal immigrant community. But on the heels of [a] historic illegal immigration crisis. That has to be done.”
Within a day of winning the election, Trump announced his campaign co-chair Susie Wiles would be his chief of staff. Wiles, an experienced Florida-based political operative based, will be the first woman in U.S. history to fill the role. Chief of staff isn’t a Senate-confirmed position, but it’s a prestigious position often considered to be part of the Cabinet.