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Some are in the running for a variety of positions, but these are the early selections and leading candidates for some of the important positions that oversee trade, immigration, economic policymaking, defence, intelligence, and diplomacy.
Following his victory in the presidential election, Donald Trump has started the process of selecting a cabinet and other senior administration officials.
These are the early selections and leading candidates for some of the important positions in charge of trade, immigration, economic policymaking, defence, intelligence, and diplomacy. Some are vying for various positions.
The chief of staff, Susie Wiles
Wiles, one of Trump’s two campaign managers, was named Trump’s White House chief of staff on Thursday.
Wiles, 67, is credited with managing a successful and effective campaign, though it is unclear exactly what her political beliefs are. Her supporters believe she will bring discipline and order, which were frequently absent during Trump’s first four-year term when he rotated through several chiefs of staff.
The “border czar,” or TOM Woman
Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from Trump’s first administration, will oversee the nation’s borders, the president announced Sunday night.
Trump promised mass deportations and made cracking down on those in the country illegally a key component of his campaign.
Deporting illegal immigrants who posed a safety and security risk as well as those who were employed at construction sites would be Homan’s top priority, he announced on Monday.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Homan will be “in charge of our nation’s borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,” including the deportation of illegal immigrants in the United States.
Ambassador of the United Nations Elie Stefanik
Stefanik, a fervent Trump supporter and Republican congresswoman, was named Trump’s ambassador to the UN on Monday.
After being elected to succeed then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was removed for denouncing Trump’s fabricated allegations of election fraud, Stefanik, 40, a U.S. representative from New York State and chair of the House Republican conference, assumed a leadership role in the House of Representatives in 2021.
In a statement, Trump said, “I am honoured to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.” “Elise is an America First fighter who is exceptionally strong, tough, and intelligent.”
Following Trump’s audacious pledges to put an end to Israel’s war in Gaza and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Stefanik will travel to the United Nations.
Prospective Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant
Many people consider Bessent, a significant economic advisor to Trump, to be a strong contender for the position of Treasury Secretary. Bessent, a long-time hedge fund investor and former Yale University professor, is friendly with the president-elect.
Bessent has praised Trump’s use of tariffs as a negotiating tool, despite his long-standing support for the laissez-faire policies that were common in the Republican Party prior to Trump. He has commended the president’s economic stance, which is based on a mistrust of international trade and regulations.
Potential Treasury Secretary John Paulson
Another prominent candidate for Treasury Secretary is Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager and significant Trump donor. The seasoned financier has expressed interest in the position to colleagues.
Paulson, a long-time supporter of tax cuts and deregulation, shares many characteristics with other possible members of Trump’s economic team. He has openly backed targeted tariffs as a means of defending American national security and thwarting unfair trade practices overseas.
In April, Paulson organised a high-profile fundraiser that brought in over $50 million for the former president.
A prospective Treasury Secretary named Larry Kudlow
Personality on Fox Business Network Larry Kudlow, who spent a large portion of Trump’s first term as director of the National Economic Council, has a chance to become his Treasury Secretary and, if he is interested, would probably have the chance to accept a separate position with an economics focus.
Although he is privately sceptical of broad tariffs, Kudlow’s policies and those of the president-elect are not very different in public.
Prospective Treasury Secretary Robert Lighthouser
Lighthizer, a Trump supporter who was the president’s U.S. trade envoy for nearly the whole term of the previous administration, will most likely be asked to return. Lighthizer has an outside chance and could be able to return to his previous position if he is interested, but Bessent and Paulson probably have a better chance of becoming Treasury Secretary.
Like Trump, Lighthizer is a trade sceptic and a firm believer in tariffs. During Trump’s first term, he played a key role in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada as well as his trade war with China.
A prospective Treasury Secretary named Howard Lutnick
Lutnick, the long-time CEO of financial services company Cantor Fitzgerald and co-chair of Trump’s transition effort, is a candidate for Treasury Secretary.
Like Trump, Lutnick is a blustery New Yorker who has consistently welcomed the president-elect’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs.
He has occasionally expressed detailed, unrestrained views on the policies that will be implemented during Trump’s second term. In private, some Trump supporters had voiced their displeasure that he far too frequently claimed to be speaking for the campaign.
A prospective secretary of commerce, Linda McMahon
According to three people briefed on the plans, professional wrestling tycoon and former director of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon is the front-runner to head Trump’s Department of Commerce.
A significant contributor, McMahon was among the first to back the Republican candidate for president nearly ten years ago. This time, she was chosen by Trump to co-lead a transition team that was established to assist in vetting staff and creating policy in advance of the election on November 5.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE. She later led a pro-Trump political action committee that backed his 2020 reelection campaign after leaving her position as director of the Small Business Administration in 2019.
A prospective secretary of state named Richard Grenell
Grenell is among Trump’s closest foreign policy advisers. During the president-elect’s first four-year term, he served as acting director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador to Germany. Grenell attended the private meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in September.
Grenell has been at the centre of several scandals due to his private interactions with foreign leaders and his frequently abrasive demeanour, but he may be confirmed given the Republican Party’s large Senate gains. In addition, he is regarded as a leading candidate for the position of national security adviser, which is not subject to Senate confirmation.
He has supported a number of policies, including the creation of an autonomous region in eastern Ukraine to put an end to the conflict there—a stance Kiev finds intolerable.
Prospective Secretary of State Robert O’Brien
O’Brien, who served as Trump’s fourth and last national security adviser during his first term, is close to Trump and frequently discusses national security issues with him.
He is probably vying for the position of secretary of state or other important positions in national security and foreign policy. Since Trump left office, he has kept up close ties with world leaders; in May, he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel.
His views are somewhat more hawkish than some of Trump’s advisers. For example, he has advocated for a ban on TikTok in the United States and has been more in favour of military assistance for Ukraine than many of his Republican peers.
The prospective secretary of state, Bill Hagerty
Hagerty, a U.S. senator from Tennessee, is regarded as a leading candidate for secretary of state and was involved in Trump’s 2016 transition effort. He has maintained strong ties with almost every Republican faction and is likely to be easily confirmed in the Senate.
During the first Trump administration, when the president bragging about his cordial ties with then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, he was the U.S. ambassador to Japan.
In general, Hagerty’s policies are similar to those of Trump. He voted against a significant military aid package for Ukraine earlier this year.
The prospective secretary of state, Marco Rubio
Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, is also a top secretary of state contender whose policies hew closely to those of Trump. He was a candidate to be Trump’s running mate in 2024, just like Hagerty.
Rubio has strong ties across the party and has been active in foreign affairs in the Senate for a long time, especially in relation to Latin America.
A prospective defence secretary named Mike Walz
Waltz, a U.S. congressman from Florida and a former Army Green Beret, has made a name for himself as one of the House’s most vocal opponents of China.
He has co-sponsored a number of bills pertaining to China, including ones that aim to reduce American dependence on vital minerals extracted in China.
Waltz is widely regarded as a serious candidate for secretary of defence and is on good terms with Trump.
KEITH KELLOGG, potential candidate for national security adviser
Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who was Trump’s chief of staff for the National Security Council, has Trump’s ear and is a candidate for various national security positions, including national security adviser.
He offered Trump a plan to end the conflict in Ukraine during the campaign, which included, among other things, requiring both sides to negotiate and barring Ukraine from joining NATO for the foreseeable future.
Mark Green, a prospective secretary of homeland security
Some Trump supporters in Washington view Green, a former Army flight surgeon and current chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, as a potential candidate for the top position at the Department of Homeland Security. He has substantial legislative experience and is characterised by his supporters as an immigration hardliner and Trump supporter.
During his first term, Trump nominated Green to be secretary of the Army, but he later withdrew his name as his previous remarks—which were widely viewed as Islamophobic and transphobic—came under increased scrutiny.
A prospective attorney general named Jonathan Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe is viewed as a possible attorney general, but he could also accept a different national security or intelligence role, like director of the CIA. Ratcliffe is a former prosecutor and congressman who was director of national intelligence during Trump’s final year in office.
Ratcliffe is seen by the president-elect’s supporters as a staunch supporter of Trump who has a good chance of being confirmed by the Senate. Nevertheless, Democrats criticised Ratcliffe for politicising the position during his tenure as director of national intelligence because he frequently deviated from the opinions of seasoned civil servants.
A prospective attorney general named Mike Lee
Another prominent contender for attorney general is Lee, a U.S. senator from Utah. Despite refusing to support Trump in the 2016 election, the former prosecutor later turned into a steadfast ally and is now considered an intellectual hero by some Trumpworld factions.
Lee has promoted baseless conspiracy theories regarding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and played a significant role in Trump and his supporters’ attempts to reverse his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden.
KASH PATEL, potential candidate for national security posts
Patel, a former Republican House staffer who held a number of senior staff positions in the intelligence and defence sectors during Trump’s first term, was often seen on the campaign trail urging people to support the candidate.
Patel is regarded as the quintessential Trump supporter, and some Trump supporters want him to be named CIA director. However, any position that needs Senate confirmation could be difficult.
Over the course of his career, Patel has leaned into controversy. He pledged to “come after” journalists and politicians he believed to be Trump’s adversaries in an interview with Trump supporter Steve Bannon last year.
Some more seasoned national security officials disliked Patel during Trump’s first term because they believed he was unstable and overly eager to appease the president.