Updated December 23, 2024 at 10:42 AM ET
President-elect Donald Trump is building his team, naming Cabinet members and key advisers after having been elected to a second presidential term. He's been filling out those roles with those considered to be fierce loyalists.
Some, like his Cabinet and high-ranking nominees, will require Senate confirmation. Other senior advisers don't require congressional approval. One Cabinet pick — former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz — withdrew his candidacy as attorney general, after sex trafficking and drug use allegations imperiled his nomination.
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Here's how Trump's new administration is taking shape:
Secretary of State — Marco Rubio
The selection officially brings Florida Sen. Marco Rubio into Trump's fold and offers a new chapter in the evolving relationship between the former rivals for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. In the years since, Rubio has become a close adviser to Trump on foreign relations, and was even a top contender for vice president up until the day Trump announced Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.
If confirmed, Rubio would become the first Latino to ever serve as the nation's top diplomat. Read more about Marco Rubio.
— Jeongyoon Han and Claudia Grisales
Treasury Secretary — Scott Bessent
Bessent, a former protégé of Democratic mega donor George Soros, founded and runs the hedge fund Key Square Group. He emerged from relative obscurity to become one of Trump's favorite advisers on the campaign trail, where Trump praised Bessent as "one of the top analysts on Wall Street" as well as "a nice-looking guy, too."
Bessent has returned the praise, arguing that Trump's proposed tax cuts and looser regulations on businesses will boost the U.S. economy. Read more about Scott Bessent.
Secretary of Defense — Pete Hegseth
Hegseth, a Fox News host, is an unexpected choice that deviates from most of Trump's staff picks for his White House, who largely descend from political roles in federal and state governments.
He is a veteran of the Army National Guard, where he did tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay as an infantry officer. During his military service, he was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge. Read more about Pete Hegseth.
Attorney General — Pam Bondi
Bondi is a longtime ally of Trump's and served as one of his lawyers during his first impeachment. She also led the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former staffers from Trump's first presidency.
She is a longtime Trump ally who joined his defense team in his first impeachment trial. She later took a senior legal role at the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute. Read more about Pam Bondi. The selection follows the decision by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's initial pick, to withdraw his name from consideration. Read more about Gaetz withdrawing his candidacy.
— NPR Washington Desk
Department of Homeland Security — Kristi Noem
The role holds significant weight for Trump, who campaigned heavily on the issue of immigration, pledging to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Noem, a devout Christian who is the first woman elected to serve as governor of South Dakota, is in her second term.
In a statement, Trump cited one of her notable moves leading her state: "Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times." Read more about Kristi Noem.
— Jeongyoon Han and Elena Moore
Surgeon General — Dr. Janette Nesheiwat
As with several of his picks for his cabinet, Trump's new surgeon general comes with experience at Fox News.
Nesheiwat is a medical contributor for the network and author of Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine, a book described on her website as "a vivid Christian memoir" that recounts her experiences during the pandemic and after. She's also medical director at CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey — experience she has drawn on in selling her own line of vitamin supplements. Read more about Dr. Janette Nesheiwat.
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair — Paul Atkins
Atkins served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008. He's now the CEO of consulting firm Patomak Global Partners which advises financial firms as well as cryptocurrency companies.
Atkins is known as a strong backer of cryptocurrencies, and could be in place to help shape key regulations for an industry Trump has avidly courted should he be confirmed by the Senate.
Current SEC Chair Gary Gensler has announced he would step down on Jan. 20, when Trump is due to be inaugurated. Gensler had widely antagonized the crypto industry by going after key players with aggressive enforcement actions. Read more on Paul Atkins.
Department of Health and Human Services — Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
In an interview with NPR before the choice was announced, Kennedy said, "President Trump has given me three instructions: He wants the corruption and the conflicts out of the regulatory agencies. He wants to return the agencies to the gold standard empirically based, evidence-based science and medicine that they were once famous for. And he wants to end the chronic disease epidemic with measurable impacts on a diminishment of chronic disease within two years."
If confirmed by the Senate, the role would give Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories, including about vaccines, the chance to actualize a vision of public health that is often at odds with mainstream health and science. Read more about RFK Jr.
— Jeongyoon Han and Susan Davis
HUD Secretary — Scott Turner
In a statement, Trump said that during his first term as president, Turner was the first executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, "helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country's most distressed communities."
"Those efforts, working together with former HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, were maximized by Scott's guidance in overseeing 16 Federal Agencies which implemented more than 200 policy actions furthering Economic Development," the statement read. "Under Scott's leadership, Opportunity Zones received over $50 Billion Dollars in Private Investment!" Read more about Scott Turner.
Interior Department — Doug Burgum
As secretary, Burgum will play a key role in pushing Trump's agenda to increase oil, gas and coal production on public lands.
Burgum, the governor of North Dakota and a former Trump rival in the 2024 presidential primary, is known as a big booster of oil and gas drilling, though his state's boom has mostly occurred on private land such as the Bakken oil field. Historically, Interior secretaries have generally come from Western states with large tracts of federal public land, while North Dakota is only about 4% federally owned.
The Trump administration is expected to reverse President Biden's focus on conservation and renewable energy policy enacted by current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the nation's first Indigenous Cabinet member. Read more about Doug Burgum.
— Kirk Siegler and Jeongyoon Han
Agriculture Secretary — Brooke Rollins
If confirmed, Rollins, president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, will oversee the Department of Agriculture, one of the most sprawling federal agencies.
Rollins was previously the director of the Domestic Policy Council during the first Trump administration. She has a long history in conservative politics, including also running the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Originally from Texas, she graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development. She then got her law degree at the University of Texas school of Law. Read more about Brooke Rollins.
Federal Communications Commission Chair — Brendan Carr
For much of his career, Carr, a veteran member of the Federal Communications Commission, was seen as a relatively conventional Republican with a pro-corporate outlook. More recently, however, Carr has embraced Trumpian themes about social media, tech and television companies.
Carr likely would pursue a deregulatory agenda. That may include further relaxing or stripping away rules inhibiting consolidation of media ownership, many of which were dropped after the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in 2021. Read more about Brendan Carr.
Energy Secretary — Chris Wright
The chief executive of oil and natural gas fracking services company Liberty Energy is likely to promote fossil fuel development and reverse many Biden-era initiatives.
"As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new 'Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace,' " Trump said in a statement. He added that Wright will also serve as part of a new Council of National Energy. Read more about Chris Wright.
Federal Bureau of Investigations Director — Kash Patel
Trump intends to install Patel, a close ally and former national security aide who has berated the Justice Department and the news media, to replace Christopher Wray as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Trump appointed Wray in 2017 after firing predecessor Jim Comey. Wray has signaled he wants to serve out the remainder of his term. But his relationship with Trump has been a tense one.
Patel came to national attention as a congressional aide investigating the feds who were probing Russian interference in the 2016 election, before he pivoted into roles in Trump's National Security Council and Pentagon. He's a regular on right-wing podcasts, where he has issued threats to prosecute political adversaries. Patel also pledged to shutter the FBI headquarters "on day one" and to disperse employees there across the country. Read more about Kash Patel.
NASA Administrator — Jared Isaacman
Isaacman made headlines earlier this year when he became the first private astronaut to conduct a spacewalk. The five-day mission took place using a capsule built by Elon Musk's company SpaceX. Isaacman is a friend of Musk, and his online payment company, Shift 4, has extensive financial ties to SpaceX.
If confirmed as NASA administrator, Isaacman would oversee billions of dollars in contracts that the government has awarded to SpaceX. He would also be in a position to funnel more money to Musk's company.Read more about Jared Isaacman.
Commerce Secretary — Howard Lutnick
At Commerce, Lutnick, a billionaire investor and veteran Wall Street CEO, will be responsible for enforcing the sweeping tariffs that Trump campaigned on — and for which Lutnick has expressed fervent, public support.
Lutnick, who rebuilt the investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald after the Sept. 11 attacks that killed almost 700 employees, had been little known outside of Wall Street. But he rocketed to prominence — and power — this fall, after Trump named him co-chair of his transition team in August. Read more about Howard Lutnick.
— Maria Aspan and Scott Horsley
Labor Secretary — Lori Chavez-DeRemer
"Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America's workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America. I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs," Trump said in a statement released by his campaign about the Oregon congresswoman.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump made many promises to America's workers — that he would protect their jobs, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., and restore their ability to achieve the American dream. He also proposed ending taxes on tips and overtime. Pieces of this agenda could end up on Chavez-DeRemer's plate. Read more about Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Education Secretary — Linda McMahon
McMahon is a professional wrestling magnate who ran two unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She was selected by Trump to lead the SBA during his first presidency. During her two years in that role, McMahon stayed out of the headlines, steering clear of the churn of controversies that were a feature of Trump's first term in office. She stepped down in 2019 to run the Trump-aligned super PAC America First Action and has remained in Trump's close orbit.
In a statement on Truth Social, Trump said, as secretary of education, McMahon "will fight tirelessly to expand 'Choice' to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families." Read more about Linda McMahon
— Cory Turner and Jonaki Mehta
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator — Dr. Mehmet Oz
Oz is a cardiothoracic surgeon who hosted a TV talk show focused on health for a decade. He built his TV career after being a frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He faced criticism for giving Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other vaccine denialists a platform in appearances on his show.
CMS is part of HHS, the agency that Trump picked Kennedy to lead. Read more about Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Transportation Secretary — Sean Duffy
The former GOP congressman is the second Fox host Trump has picked to serve in his Cabinet. Duffy's roots in the television business run deep: He appeared on MTV's The Real World in 1997, and on another reality show called Road Rules: All Stars, where he met his future wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, also a Fox host.
After earning a law degree, Duffy served as the district attorney in Ashland County, Wisc. from 2002 to 2010, when he resigned to run for Congress. In Washington, he served on the House Financial Services Committee, where he was also chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations. Read more about Sean Duffy.
Veterans Affairs Secretary — Doug Collins
Collins is a chaplain in the Air Force Reserve Command who served in the House from 2013 to 2021. The former Georgia congressman was a key defender of Trump during his first impeachment proceeding
Collins unsuccessfully lobbied Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to name him to the Senate vacancy that opened up in 2019 after then-Sen. Johnny Isakson stepped down due to health concerns. Read more about Doug Collins.
Central Intelligence Agency Director — John Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe previously served as the director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, where he oversaw all 18 of the nation's intelligence agencies. In selecting Ratcliffe, Trump is again turning to a loyal ally as he moves quickly to shape his foreign policy and national security teams.
Ratcliffe was considered one of the most conservative members of Congress when he was tapped to be director of national intelligence in 2020. He was an outspoken supporter of Trump and at times questioned the validity of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Read more about John Ratcliffe.
Director of National Intelligence — Tulsi Gabbard
The former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii has shifted her political allegiance in recent years, going from a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 to a stalwart Trump supporter and conservative media personality. If confirmed for the role, Gabbard, who has criticized American engagements abroad, would oversee all 18 of the nation's intelligence agencies.
In a statement, Trump highlighted Gabbard's background as a former Democrat, saying, "she has broad support" from both political parties. Her political turn means she's not likely to gain support from Democrats. Read more about Tulsi Gabbard.
— Elena Moore and Greg Myre
U.S. Trade Representative — Jamieson Greer
Greer was chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, the USTR in the first Trump administration. He is currently a partner at King & Spalding, a law firm.
Chief of the SBA — Kelly Loeffler
The former senator from Georgia will, Trump said in announcing the nomination, "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."
National Institutes of Health Director — Dr. Jay Bhattacharya
The Stanford University health researcher was a prominent critic of U.S. public health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bhattacharya helped write the so-called Great Barrington Declaration which criticized the use of measures like lockdowns and mask mandates. The declaration was dismissed by most leading public health experts as irresponsible and dangerous. But Bhattacharya and his supporters say that exemplified the group-think that dominates medical research. Read more about Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
National Economic Council Chair — Kevin Hassett
Hassett previously served as chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump term.
FDA Chair — Dr. Marty Makary
A surgical oncologist at Johns Hopkins University, Makary's selection for the top job at the FDA is not unexpected given his work with the first Trump administration on issues like surprise medical billing. He's also recently made statements indicating support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" platform.
Earlier this year, Makary appeared alongside Kennedy in a Congressional roundtable on health and nutrition, where he criticized federal health agencies for not prioritizing chronic diseases and said "the greatest perpetrator of misinformation has been the United States government with the food pyramid." Read more about Dr. Marty Makary.
National Security Adviser — Mike Waltz
As national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz will play an integral role in shaping U.S. policy on geopolitical conflicts ranging from the war in Ukraine to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Waltz, a former Army Green Beret, is a longtime Trump ally who has established himself as a leading critic of China in Congress.
Since winning his seat in 2018, he has championed legislation to reduce U.S. reliance on critical minerals from China and safeguard American colleges and universities from Chinese espionage. Read more about Mike Waltz.
— Jason Breslow and Tom Bowman
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner — Rodney Scott
Scott served under both Trump and President Biden during his 19-month tenure as chief of Border Patrol. He implemented key border enforcement policies such as the Migrant Protection Protocols, best known as Remain in Mexico, and Title 42. Scott, along with Caleb Vitello, Trump's pick to serve as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will work closely with Kristi Noem, who was selected to head the Department of Homeland Security, as well as Stephen Miller, who was named deputy chief of staff for policy and Tom Homan, tapped to be the "border czar." Read more about Rodney Scott.
"Border Czar" — Tom Homan
Homan served as acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Trump's first term in office. In Trump's second term, he will serve as "border czar" — which does not require Senate confirmation. The role will have Homan in charge of the southern and northern U.S. borders, as well as "all Maritime and Aviation Security," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The former police officer and Border Patrol agent has worked under six presidents during his three decades in law enforcement. He was executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE under President Obama. During that administration, ICE carried out a record number of deportations. Read more about Tom Homan.
U.N. Ambassador — Elise Stefanik
Stefanik is the highest ranking woman Republican in the House and has been a key ally of Trump's over the years and was reported to have been a contender as his running mate during the presidential election.
When Stefanik was elected to represent New York's 21st district in 2014, she was the youngest woman elected to Congress in American history at the time. Before that, Stefanik started off in politics as a moderate conservative, working for George W. Bush and Mitt Romney; Paul Ryan mentored her at one point in her career. Read more about Elise Stefanik.
OMB Director — Russell Vought
Vought is one of the architects of the conservative agenda known as Project 2025. He was the budget director in Trump's first term and pushed to reshape the federal civil service by creating a new class of federal workers known as Schedule F. He has said civil servants who work in the government — people who are not political appointees — should be loyal to the president, and not the institutions they work for. Read more about Russell Vought.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director — Dr. Dave Weldon
Trump's pick for the CDC, Weldon is a physician, Army veteran and Republican who served in the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009.
As a congressman from Florida, Weldon "worked with the CDC to enact a ban on patents for human embryos," Trump said in his Truth Social post announcing Weldon as his pick. Weldon also introduced protections for health care workers and organizations that do not provide or aid in abortions. Known as the Weldon Amendment, the clause has been attached to the annual HHS spending bill in Congress since 2005. Read more about Dr. Dave Weldon.
NATO Ambassador — Matthew Whitaker
Trump has long criticized defense spending by other NATO member countries, arguing that the U.S. was shouldering an oversized burden while many European allies failed to pay their fair share. His pick for ambassador is likely to take on that stance, sparking some consternation across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States' NATO allies.
Whitaker, who briefly served as acting attorney general in Trump's first term, has no experience in foreign or military affairs, but he did work in the Justice Department during Trump's first term in office, initially as chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and then briefly as acting attorney general after Sessions was pushed out in 2018. Read more about Matthew Whitaker.
— Ryan Lucas and Stephen Fowler
EPA Administrator — Lee Zeldin
In announcing his pick for the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Trump said Zeldin "will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses," adding that Zeldin will still maintain "the highest environmental standards."
Zeldin, who previously represented Long Island, opposed a handful of climate-related legislation while serving in Congress, according to the environmental advocacy group League of Conservation Voters. Read more about Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Council of Economic Chair — Stephen Miran
In a social media post on Dec. 22, the president-elect named Miran, a former economic adviser in Trump's first term, to lead the Council of Economic Advisers.
Federal Trade Commission Chair — Andrew Ferguson
Ferguson was sworn in as an FTC commissioner earlier this year. In announcing the pick, Trump touted his "proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech."
Ferguson served as Virginia's solicitor general. He also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
"Department of Government Efficiency" co-leaders — Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy
Musk, CEO of Tesla, and Ramaswamy, entrepreneur and Republican primary candidate, have been tapped by Trump to lead what he's calling the "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE, an apparent wink to the cryptocurrency by the same name and the meme of a Shiba Inu.
Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will "pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," which he called "essential to the Save America Movement." Read more about Musk and Ramaswamy's new roles.
Agriculture Secretary — Brooke Rollins
Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, to oversee the Department of Agriculture, one of the most sprawling federal agencies.
Rollins was previously the director of the Domestic Policy Council during the first Trump administration, and also served as assistant to the president for intergovernmental and technology initiatives. She has a long history in conservative politics, including also running the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
White House Chief of Staff — Susie Wiles
Susie Wiles is the first appointee Trump named after the 2024 election. Wiles, who served as Trump's co-campaign manager, will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. She has worked for the Trump political operation off and on since 2016.
Wiles managed Trump's campaign quietly, making very few media or public appearances, though Trump proudly presented her during his election night speech in Palm Beach, Fla., saying "Susie likes to stay sort of in the back, let me tell you. The Ice Maiden. We call her the Ice Maiden." Read more about Susie Wiles.
White House Counsel — David A. Warrington
Warrington will lead the Office of White House Counsel and serve as the top attorney in the White House, a position Trump had tapped William McGinley for last month. In announcing his new pick, Trump said Warrington "has represented me well as my personal attorney, and as General Counsel for my Presidential Campaign."
Warnington is currently a partner at the Dhillon Law Group, a former president of the Republican National Lawyers Association and a Marine veteran.
The role of White House general counsel serves as the point legal adviser for the president in regards to ethics, oversight and judicial nominations. The general counsel also is the point of contact between the White House and the Justice Department.
White House Counsel — Alina Habba
Habba, whom Trump tapped to serve as counselor to the president, has been a legal adviser to his campaign and transition team and was one of his attorneys in the New York hush money case.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff — Stephen Miller
The position will have Miller taking on a leading role writing and implementing the administration's immigration agenda. That agenda includes plans for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Miller is one of Trump's longest-serving and most trusted advisers. He worked with Trump on his 2016 presidential campaign before joining him at the White House as a senior adviser. Read more about Stephen Miller.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff — James Blair
Blair will serve as deputy White House chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs. Blair had worked on the Trump campaign as political director and with the Republican National Committee.
Deputy White House Chief of Staff — Taylor Budowich
Budowich will serve as deputy White House chief of staff for communications and personnel. Budowich worked with the Trump campaign and before that, as Trump's spokesman after leaving office. He also launched and ran MAGA Inc, a pro-Trump super PAC.
Deputy Chief of Staff — Dan Scavino
Scavino was a Trump campaign senior adviser and was the director of social media for the Trump 2016 presidential campaign.
White House Communications Director — Steven Cheung
Cheung, a former spokesperson for the Ultimate Fighting Championship — the popular mixed martial arts league — brought a cage fighter's spirit to speaking on behalf of Trump on the campaign trail.
He worked on both of Trump's previous campaigns and worked in the White House for part of Trump's first term. He grew up in Sacramento, Calif., and worked on several mainstream Republican campaigns before joining up with Trump. Read more about Steven Cheung.
"White House AI & Crypto Czar" — David Sacks
Sacks, a venture capitalist, is a close ally of Elon Musk, a top Trump adviser. He is a venture capitalist associated with the so-called PayPal Mafia, a group of right-leaning technologists who helped found payment processer PayPal in the late 1990s. In recent years, Sacks has helped fundraise for Trump and attacked what he sees as "woke politics" on his podcast "All In."
As AI and crypto czar, Sacks is expected to help oversee the dismantling of tech industry regulations.
White House Press Secretary — Karoline Leavitt
Leavitt has become a prominent face on the Trump team, serving as national press secretary for the campaign and now for the transition team. She is also an alum of the president-elect's first White House administration, where she worked as an assistant press secretary.
At 27 years old, Leavitt will be the youngest person to hold the position of top White House spokesperson. The position hasn't been held by someone under 30 since former President Richard Nixon's administration in 1969. Read more about Karoline Leavitt.
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