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Journalism of Courage
Ahead of his return as the President of the United States (US), Donald Trump has started making a raft of appointments to his cabinet.
With Republicans also winning the US Senate, the upper branch of the legislature, and retaining their majority in the US House of Representatives, the lower chamber, their control over the elected branches of the government has been solidified. This will allow those part of the Cabinet in Trump 2.0 to move their legislation through with ease.
Historically, the Cabinet has at least 16 positions, including the Vice-President and heads of 15 executive departments, such as Commerce, Defence, Education, Energy, and Health.
Trump has also named others to senior positions that may not require Senate nod.
Here’s a list of the people picked by Trump so far:
Picked as: Secretary of State
Current occupant: Antony J Blinken
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
There was a time when US President-elect Donald Trump had disparaged Marco Rubio by calling him “Little Marco” during the fight for Republican presidential nomination in 2016. But since then, the US Senator has aligned more closely with Trump’s views. If approved by the Senate, Rubio will be the first Latino to serve in the role of Secretary of State. The role assumes increased significance in the light of multiple geopolitical challenges the world is facing, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the crisis in the Middle East, and the renewed deep engagements of the US under the Joe Biden administration.
Picked as: Attorney General
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Merrick B Garland
The nomination of Matt Gaetz, who was probed by the Justice Department in the past over the alleged sex trafficking of a minor, has drawn mixed reactions from members of the US Senate. Gaetz’s nomination is subject to Senate confirmation. Gaetz was being investigated by the House Ethics Committee on charges of sexual misconduct before he resigned from the House on November 13. During election campaigning, Trump had vowed to use the Justice Department to probe, prosecute and bring to book his political opponents, including US President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris and former House speaker and senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
Picked as: Defense Secretary
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Lloyd J Austin
With multiple military conflicts going on in the world, the role of the US Defence Secretary assumes even more weight. Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and a military veteran, to take on this responsibility. Last week on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast, Hegseth had said that joint chiefs of staffs and other officials involved in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts should be fired.
Picked as: Homeland Security secretary
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Alejandro Mayorkas
The incumbent South Dakota Governor was once seen as a likely running mate for Trump. But controversy erupted earlier this year after it came to light that she had written about killing a pet dog that had an “aggressive personality” in her memoir No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward. Noem came into national reckoning during the Covid years when she refused to implement a mask mandate across her state.
Picked as: CIA chief
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: William J Burns
John Ratcliffe had served as director of national intelligence in Trump 1.0. The 59-year-old is a former Congressman and was accused by Democrats of politicising his then-role due to taking stands contrary to experienced civil service officers, Reuters reported.
Picked as: Director of National Intelligence
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Avril Haines
A former Democrat, Tulsi Gabbard has experience of serving in Iraq and is ranked as lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. She ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but lost. She has little or no direct experience of intelligence work.
Picked as: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Michael S Regan
A former Congressman from New York, Lee Zeldin will lead the US agency responsible for protecting “human health and the environment”. Zeldin had voted against certifying the results of 2020 US Presidential election, which Donald Trump lost. Zeldin has a pro-business stance and has voted several times against environment protection legislation in the past.
Picked as: Health and Human Services secretary
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Xavier Becerra
The nephew of former president John F Kennedy has been an outspoken vaccine sceptic. The environmental activist has been accused of spreading vaccine misinformation, and will now potentially lead the US’ top health agency. RFK Jr has said he would whittle down the employee base of Food and Drug Administration. In this year’s presidential elections, he had run as a Democrat and then as an Independent, before eventually bowing out of the race and supporting Trump.
Picked as: UN ambassador
Needs Senate confirmation: Yes
Current occupant: Linda Thomas-Greenfield
The 40-year-old House Republican conference chair emerged as a key ally of Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019. In 2021, she replaced Liz Cheney in the House of Representatives after Cheney questioned Trump’s claims of election fraud.
Picked as: Vice-President
Needs Senate confirmation: No
Current occupant: Kamala Harris
Trump’s deputy, who is on track to become the youngest Vice-President, had once called the president-elect “reprehensible”. That’s history now, after Vance championed Trump’s policies in his 2024 campaign and eventually won his backing. He is currently a Senator from Ohio after being elected to the upper chamber in 2022.
Picked for: Government efficiency entity
Needs Senate confirmation: No
Current occupant: New entity
The world’s richest person, who has called himself the “first buddy” of President-elect Donald Trump, will co-head the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump said this entity will publish reports suggesting ways to cut government bureaucracy, excessive regulations, and rejig central agencies. Musk has said that he wants to reduce US government spending by $2 trillion.
The owner of Tesla, SpaceX, and X has had several run-ins with multiple government departments under Joe Biden’s administration. When the new administration takes over, DOGE will work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget.
Picked for: Government efficiency entity
Needs Senate confirmation: No
Current occupant: New entity
The billionaire businessperson, who challenged Trump for the Republican presidential nomination before bowing out, has been a staunch supporter of the President-elect. He will co-lead DOGE. Neither he, nor Elon Musk, will get paid for their work at this newly created entity.
Picked as: Chief of Staff
Needs Senate confirmation: No
Current occupant: Jeff Zients
One of the architects of Trump’s election campaign and a veteran Republican, Susie Wiles will become the Trump White House’s Chief of Staff. She will be the first woman to hold this position. Trump had run through as many as four Chiefs of Staff in his first term.
Picked as: Border czar
Needs Senate confirmation:No
Current occupant: NA
Immigration, one of the key themes of Trump’s campaign, will be managed by Thomas Homan. The 62-year-old was the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump 1.0. Homan said that he will make deporting illegal immigrants a priority, Reuters reported.
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