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President-elect Donald Trump has named several nominees to be included in his presidential cabinet as he starts his second term. All members of his cabinet were announced by Thanksgiving Day.
Trump seems to be selecting his cabinet from a circle of allies who supported him throughout his reelection campaign. Compared to his last term, Trump has been more selective with his picks. In previous years, Trump had a more traditionalist GOP-selected cabinet, largely because of his limited political experience. This resulted in disagreements between himself and members of his cabinet when conflict arose.
Traditionally, cabinet selection involved an intricate process of FBI-mandated background checks, which then requires further confirmation from the Senate. However, Trump proposed to bypass this process for his nominees, opting for recess appointments to be held — a process where the president has the ability to fill in a government position without Senate approval while the Senate is not in session — and with the Republican Party controlling the Senate, this request will likely be granted.
Several of his picks have been widely criticized by the public, including former 2024 presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. for the head of the Department of Health and Human Services and former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida for attorney general (Gaetz has resigned as of Nov. 21).
Trump’s Main 15 Cabinet Picks (In the order of the presidential line of succession)
- Marco Rubio – Secretary of State (DOS)
On Nov. 13, Rubio was appointed as secretary of state. As the secretary of state, Rubio holds the highest ranking position within the cabinet and places fourth in the presidential line of succession. Rubio is expected to oversee the United States Department of State (DoS) — the agency dedicated to lead and advise the president in diplomatic and foreign affairs.
Rubio is the senior U.S. Senator of Florida.
- Scott Bessent – Secretary of Treasury (UST)
On Nov. 22, Bessent was announced to lead the nation’s treasury. As the secretary of this department, he’s expected to oversee the nation’s finances, including managing the public debt, acting as an economic advisor for the president, creating economic policies, etc.
Bessent is the founder of Key Square Capital Management, a hedge fund based out of New York. If the Senate confirms this nomination, Bessent will become the first openly gay secretary of treasury.
- Pete Hegseth – Defense Secretary (DoD)
On Nov. 12, Hegseth was announced as Trump’s appointed defense secretary. As the nation’s defense secretary, he oversees the United States Department of Defense (DoD) — America’s government agency tasked with providing military services to protect the security of the country and to prevent war. Additionally, Hegseth will act as a military advisor to Trump.
Prior to nomination, Hegseth served with the U.S Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, afterwards joining Fox News as a TV Reporter.
- Pam Bondi – Attorney General (AG)
On Nov. 21, Bondi was announced as the substitute for attorney general, replacing former House Rep. Matt Gaetz, who initially held the position but withdrew hours before he was sworn in. As attorney general, she will act as an advisor and represent the president in all legal matters, and give advice and opinions to the president and other executive figures when requested.
Bondi is said to be a longtime ally to Trump, aiding him as one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial. She was elected as Florida’s first female attorney general in 2010.
- Doug Burgum – Secretary of the Interior (DOI)
At an event held at the Mar-a-Lago on Nov. 14, Trump announced Bergum would lead the Department of Interior. As the secretary, he’s expected to oversee the department’s responsibility of protecting and directing the country’s natural resources and cultural heritage.
Burgum is the current governor of North Dakota. During the 2024 Republican Primaries, he briefly went up against Trump for the party’s presidential nomination but dropped out in Dec. 2023.
- Brooke Rollins – Secretary of Agriculture (USDA)
On Nov. 23, Rollins was selected by Trump to serve as the Secretary of Agriculture. Her role as the department’s secretary mainly consists of managing the nation’s agricultural programs both inside the country and abroad. Additionally, she has the task of managing the Food Safety and Inspection Services, the program responsible for the safety of food sold and produced within the country. Rollins is also assigned to manage the food stamps program, which works with all states to provide affordable food for civilians of low-income.
Rollins, a longtime Trump ally, served under his first term as the White House domestic policy chief. Additionally, she’s the CEO of America First Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank founded in 2021 aimed to promote Trump’s policy agendas.
- Howard Lutnick – Commerce Secretary (DOC)
On Nov. 19, Lutnick was formally appointed by President-elect Trump to be Commerce Secretary. In his position, Lutnick is expected to promote economic growth, as well as the country’s businesses and industries by overseeing policy making within these fields.
Prior to nomination, Lutnick was the head of stockbroker Cantor Fitzgerald.
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer – Labor Secretary (DOL)
On Nov. 22, Trump announced Chavez-DeRemer to lead the nation’s Department of Labor. As the secretary, she’s expected to manage the department’s role of administering and enforcing labor laws, create work programs for job seekers, and protect the overall welfare of the country’s labor conditions.
Chavez-DeRemer was a House representative from Oregon, losing her reelection bid this past November. She is one of the more pro-union conservatives, which is evident by her record of support from unions in her district; this differs from the Republican Party’s usual alliance with business interests.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS)
Kennedy Jr., who initially identified as a Democrat, campaigned in the 2024 presidential election as an Independent. In Aug. 2024, he suspended his campaign and began endorsing Trump. On Nov. 14, just a week after the election concluded, Trump announced Kennedy Jr. to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). His job as the secretary is to supervise the department’s job of protecting the nation’s overall health and providing human services for Americans.
- Scott Turner – Secretary of Housing and Development (HUD)
On Nov. 23, Turner was announced by Trump to lead the Secretary of Housing and Development. His responsibility as the department’s secretary is to address and oversee the country’s housing needs, including developing and refining communities, and creating and enforcing equitable housing laws.
Turner was a part of Trump’s first administration, though not under his cabinet. Instead, he led the White House Opportunity and Revitilization Coucil, which aims to promote revitalization to impoverished communities across the nation.
Additionally, Turner played in the NFL from 1995 to 2003. He played defensive back for several teams, including the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.
- Sean Duffy – Secretary of Transportation (DOT)
On Nov. 18, Duffy was announced as secretary of transportation. His responsibility as the department’s secretary is to guide anything related to the country’s transportation, including overseeing projects and programs, and advising the president on any matter concerning transportation.
Duffy was a former member of congress, representing Wisconsin’s 7th district from 2011 to 2019. Eventually, he joined Fox News in 2020, working alongside Hegseth.
- Chris Wright – Energy Secretary (DOE)
On Nov. 16, the 59-year old CEO of Denver-based fracking company Liberty Energy was appointed as the position’s secretary. Wright’s role as director will require him to manage the nation’s energy policies and security. He’s also tasked with managing the U.S. nuclear weapons program.
- Linda McMahon – Education Secretary (ED)
On Nov. 19, McMahon was announced by Trump to serve as the country’s educational secretary. As the education secretary, McMahon is tasked with leading the Department of Education (ED) and advising the president on decisions made within the realm of education.
McMahon is the wife of former WWE CEO and wrestling mogul Vince McMahon, where she worked with the company with him from 1980 to 2009.
- Doug Collins – Secretary of Veteran Affairs (VA)
On Nov. 14, Collins was announced by Trump to manage the Department of Veteran Affairs. His responsibility as the department’s secretary includes providing benefit programs and services to veterans, their families and their survivors.
Collins, a major Trump ally, was a former House representative from Georgia. He is a veteran himself, previously serving as a navy chaplain for two years in the 1980s and is the current chaplain (colonel) for the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command. Collin’s military experience and alliance with Trump were key reasons why the president-elect nominated him for the position.
- Kristi Noem – Homeland Security Secretary (DHS)
On Nov. 12, Noem was announced as the future secretary of the country’s Homeland Security. As the agency’s secretary, she’s tasked with leading the protection of the United States from all possible threats (e.g. terrorism, cybersecurity, manmade and natural disasters).
Additionally, Homeland Security is tasked with surveilling the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). All eyes will be on Noem and the agency to determine if Trump will carry out his numerous immigration plans.
Noem is currently the U.S. governor of South Dakota.
Although not a part of his official cabinet, Trump plans to include a presidential commission involving Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, as well as American entrepreneur and former 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The commission is named the “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” and it aims to smoothen the federal government by eliminating any inefficiency.
Additionally, Tom Homan — former ICE director — was announced by Trump as the country’s “border czar,” to achieve his mass deportation agenda of undocumented immigrants.
