He is the host of the podcast “Ameritocracy,” which he says explores “merit, success and the conditions for personal and professional growth across America,” and is an executive at IBM as the company’s finance and supply chain transformation leader, according to his LinkedIn. Trump tapped Stephen Miran, who served as a senior adviser for economic policy in the Treasury Department during Trump’s first term and is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute conservative think tank, to lead the three-member panel, though his appointment must be confirmed by the Senate. Trump tapped former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as secretary of the Department of Education. McMahon is Trump’s transition co-chair alongside Lutnick and served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019. The nomination came after Lutnick was picked as commerce secretary over McMahon, who was “privately frustrated” she was not offered the position before Lutnick was tapped for it, Semafor reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter. McMahon is also the America First Policy Institute’s board chair, helping lead the think tank that has raised millions in support of Trump, according to CNN.
Trump named Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general and former chief of staff for the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term, as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly created position. Kellogg has presented Trump with a plan for ending the war and forcing Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table, Reuters reported previously, citing unnamed sources. Former ambassador to Germany and fierce Trump ally Ric Grenell is his pick for the newly created position of envoy for special missions. Grenell, widely considered a contender for secretary of state, previously served as acting director of national intelligence and helped Trump challenge the 2020 election results in Nevada. Trump picked former football player Herschel Walker to serve as his ambassador to the Bahamas, a job that requires Senate confirmation.
- Trump tapped Christopher Landau, who previously served as ambassador to Mexico under Trump, as his deputy secretary of state, a position that requires Senate confirmation.
- Vince Haley, who served as adviser and speechwriter during Trump’s first term was named as the head of the Domestic Policy Council.
- Oz’s rise to fame is largely tied to his frequent appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show in the early 2000s and his own subsequent daytime talk show.
- The appointee will be essential in carrying out Trump’s aggressive immigration plans, in addition to the agency’s duties surrounding cybersecurity, antiterrorism and emergency response.
- Driscoll, an Army veteran, will “serve as a disruptor and change agent,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
During his time as director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe declassified unverified Russian intelligence information that claimed Hillary Clinton approved a plan to link Trump to Russia and the Democratic National Committee cyberattacks in 2016. Democrats criticized Ratcliffe’s decision to publicly release the information, alleging he was politicizing unverified information to aid Trump. Trump announced Tulsi Gabbard will serve as his Director of National Intelligence, a role that puts her at the head of the U.S. intelligence community.
Deputy Secretary Of State For Management And Resources: Michael Rigas
Devin Nunes, the chief executive of Trump-owned Truth Social, was announced as Trump’s nominee for chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, a panel that advises the president on matters related to U.S. intelligence. Nunes, a longtime Trump ally, led the House Intelligence Committee in Trump’s first administration. Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, will serve as White House Press Secretary once the president-elect assumes his office.
Trump tapped Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and the Texas-based restaurant and entertainment company Landry’s as ambassador to Italy.
Hud Secretary: Scott Turner
Ferguson has worked as an antitrust litigator and was Virginia’s solicitor general from 2022 to 2024. Trump nominated Chad Mizelle, who served as general counsel and chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first administration, to serve as chief of staff at the Justice Department. Trump announced Matthew Whitaker will serve as the official U.S. representative to NATO.
Trump decamped to Mar-a-Lago after his win, holding meetings with his inner circle, administration hopefuls and transition team to craft his second term agenda and build out his staff. Trump is shaping his second-term agenda with the help of several right-wing groups, his closest allies and billionaire backers. Musk, who has been spotted on numerous occasions alongside Trump since his election, is among those who appear to be influencing Trump’s policy and personnel decisions. Lutnick is also overseeing a team making recommendations for personnel picks and vetting potential candidates, and Miller is expected to play a key role in making the final decisions. The right-wing think tank America First Policy Institute is reportedly the primary driver of Trump’s transition plans and has been crafting possible executive actions for Trump once he takes office. The organization is chaired by McMahon and led by former Trump Domestic Policy Counsel Director Brook Rollins.
He also founded venture capital firm Craft Ventures and is a former PayPal chief operating officer. Trump noted Sacks will also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Rollins served as a policy advisor during Trump’s first administration and is the president of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank founded by former Trump administration officials that has advocated against foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.
- Hotel between 2017 and 2020, $17,000 of which was spent in a single day in July 2019.
- A critic of U.S. military interventions, Gabbard has drawn intense scrutiny for her foreign policy views, including for meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017.
- Trump nominated former Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wisc., as secretary of transportation, lauding his time in Congress and his role as a member of the House Financial Services Committee.
- Trump selected former Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., as the Internal Revenue Service’s 51st commissioner, noting he has known the former congressman since 2011.
- Whitaker oversaw the DOJ during former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and was heavily scrutinized by Democrats over whether he sought to interfere in the probe on Trump’s behalf, allegations he denied.
- Cabrera, who worked as a lead on Trump’s 2020 re-election bid in Florida, represents the residents of Miami, Hialeah, Coral Gables and other neighborhoods within Miami-Dade County.
Trump nominated Russell Vought as director of the Office of Budget and Management, potentially marking his second time in the role. Vought was the office’s director from 2020 to 2021 after serving as deputy director and acting director. Vought authored a chapter https://traderoom.info/expert-broker-reviews-is-tradeallcrypto/ in the controversial Project 2025 policy agenda on the Executive Office of the President of the United States and will be in charge of overseeing the White House budget and implementation of Trump’s policies throughout the executive branch. He also reportedly said in secret camera footage published by the Centre for Climate Reporting that Trump “blessed” Project 2025 despite distancing himself from it on the campaign trail. Vought is expected to push for policy restructuring that provides more power to the president.
Secretary Of State: Marco Rubio
Bessent is the founder of Key Square Management, a hedge fund that had less than $600 million in assets under management at the end of last year, and worked for Democratic megadonor George Soros for years before that. If confirmed, Bessent would make history as the first Senate-confirmed LGBTQ+ Republican Cabinet member. Trump has chosen people for most Senate-confirmed Cabinet-level jobs, including some surprising and controversial picks, and he’s picked a chief of staff and a national security adviser—key roles that don’t require confirmation. Howard Lutnick is Trump’s pick for commerce secretary—choosing him for the commerce role instead of treasury secretary. Trump, in a statement, called Lutnick “the embodiment of resilience in the face of unspeakable tragedy,” referencing his charitable contributions to 9/11 families after 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees, including Lutnick’s brother, died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, while Lutnick was CEO. Lutnick, who rebuilt the company after 9/11, has spent his entire career at Cantor Fitzgerald and became president and CEO of the financial services firm at the age of 29.
In his announcement, Trump hailed Scott’s tenure as Border Patrol chief, saying he “achieved record low levels of illegal immigration.” Scott served in the role for 19 months between 2020 and 2021 and oversaw the implementation of several key policies including the “Remain in Mexico” policy and Title 42. Carr has served as one of the FCC’s five commissioners since 2017, when Trump first appointed him to the agency. He’s known as a critic of big tech companies, writing a chapter of the controversial Project 2025 agenda—which Trump has broadly disavowed—that argued the FCC should narrow the immunity enjoyed by tech platforms and require companies to be transparent about their content moderation decisions. He’ll take over the FCC as Trump pushes the agency to revoke the licenses of broadcast TV stations whose coverage he claims is unfair—though that could be very difficult in practice. Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe will serve as CIA director. A former Texas congressman, Ratcliffe served as the director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021 and acted as Trump’s primary intelligence adviser during his last presidency.
Deputy Director For Budget At The Office Of Management And Budget: Dan Bishop
Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who Trump announced as his pick for Health and Human Services secretary. Oz’s rise to fame is largely tied to his frequent appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show in the early 2000s and his own subsequent daytime talk show. He’s accused of espousing questionable medical claims, including promoting the debunked theory that the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could treat Covid-19, and pushing so-called miracle weight loss products unsupported by scientific research. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for the role of secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Noem is a long-time Trump loyalist who was believed be a contender for Vice President. The appointee will be essential in carrying out Trump’s aggressive immigration plans, in addition to the agency’s duties surrounding cybersecurity, antiterrorism and emergency response.
Rubio would be the first Latino to hold the position, which is subject to Senate confirmation. Forbes estimated Rubio’s net worth at over $1 million—significantly less than some other members of Trump’s inner circle, but a jump since 2015, when he was worth just $100,000. Washington lawyer Jamieson Greer is Trump’s pick to lead international trade negotiations. An Air Force veteran and former chief of staff to Trump’s former trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, Greer “played a key role during my First Term in imposing Tariffs on China and others to combat unfair Trade practices,” Trump said in a statement.
Prior to joining Forbes, she covered New York City and state politics for the New York Post and City and State magazine. Follow her for updates and analysis on the 2024 presidential race, key Senate and House races and developments in Congress and at the White House. Trump picked his campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, to serve as his communications director at the White House. Cheung was the director of communications for the president-elect’s 2024 presidential campaign and served as director of strategic response during Trump’s last term, after working in communications for the Ultimate Fighting Championship previously.
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