Trump's cabinet picks and key appointments so far, and those still in the running

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FILE-Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena on November 04, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump is continuing to fill out his administration as he prepares for his second term in the White House and so far he’s selected aides and allies who were his major supporters during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Many of the people chosen for Trump’s cabinet will still need to be confirmed by the Senate, which won a Republican majority.

The Cabinet advises the president on issues related to their respective offices. Here's a look at Trump’s selections so far:

Trump’s cabinet picks so far

Press Secretary: Karoline Leavitt

Trump has chosen Karoline Leavitt to serve as his press secretary for his upcoming administration.

Leavitt has already acted as Trump’s spokesperson throughout his campaign.

"Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary," Trump said in a statement Friday evening.

Leavitt would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Previously that distinction went to Ronald Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the position in 1969 in Richard Nixon’s administration.

Secretary of the Department of the Interior: Doug Burgum

Trump has chosen North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to head the Interior Department.

Burgum ran for president from June to December 2023. He campaigned on priorities of energy, economy and national security, but dropped out after his bid failed to resonate.

He appeared in two Republican debates — including the first, which he attended after hurting his Achilles tendon playing basketball. He drew attention for his campaign offering $20 gift cards to people who would donate $1 to his campaign so he would have enough individual donors to make the debate stage.

In January, before the Iowa caucuses, he endorsed Trump. The same month, he declined to seek a third term as governor.

Deputy Attorney General: Todd Blanche

Trump has chosen Todd Blanche, an attorney who led the legal team that defended the Republican at his hush money criminal trial, to serve as the second-highest ranking Justice Department official.

A former federal prosecutor, Blanche has been a key figure on Trump's defense team both in the New York case that ended in a conviction in May, and the federal cases brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.

"Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long," Trump said in a statement Thursday announcing his pick.

If confirmed as deputy attorney general by the Republican-led Senate, Blanche would manage the day-to-day operations of the sprawling Justice Department, which Trump has vowed to radically overhaul.

U.S. Solicitor General: Dean John Sauer

Trump tapped D. John Sauer, who successfully argued his presidential immunity case before the U.S. Supreme Court, to be the solicitor general, representing his administration before the high court. Sauer, who was previously Missouri’s solicitor general, was a Rhodes scholar and served as a Supreme Court clerk for the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins

Doug Collins, a former congressman from Georgia, is Trump’s choice to run the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform," Trump said in a statement Thursday.

Collins is a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command. The Republican served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, and he helped defend Trump during his first impeachment process.

Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Known anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been tapped by Trump to serve as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy, a former Democrat who ran as an independent in this year’s presidential race, abandoned his bid after striking a deal to give Trump his endorsement with a promise to have a role in health policy in the administration.

HHS is a massive Cabinet agency that oversees everything from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research and the social safety net programs Medicare and Medicaid.

Attorney General: Matt Gaetz

Trump has tapped Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his attorney general.

In selecting the congressman, Trump passed over some of the more established attorneys whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

"Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department," Trump said in a statement.

Secretary of State: Marco Rubio

Trump announced on Wednesday that he has tapped Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for his secretary of state.

The conservative lawmaker is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump’s running mate this summer.

On Capitol Hill, Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has pushed for taking a harder line against China and has targeted social media app TikTok because its parent company is Chinese. He and other lawmakers contend that Beijing could demand access to the data of users whenever it wants.

"He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries," Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem is a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism earlier this year for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog. As Trump’s pick for secretary of homeland security, she’ll lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda.

Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state "open for business." Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

If confirmed by the Senate, she'll take on a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard

Trump has chosen Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic member of Congress and presidential candidate, to serve as director of national intelligence, continuing to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities complimentary to his own, rather than long-term professionals in their requisite fields.

"As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican!" Trump said in a statement. "I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength. Tulsi will make us all proud!"

Gabbard is a former Army National Guard and would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider, compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

Gabbard hasn’t worked directly in the intelligence community, outside of House committees, including two years on the Homeland Security Committee. Like others Trump has selected for his agency leadership, she has been among his most popular political surrogates, often drawing thunderous responses from crowds as she stumped for him in the campaign’s closing months.

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy

Trump announced on Tuesday that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former GOP presidential candidate, will lead a new "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE). Despite the name, it’s not a government agency – but rather a commission aimed at reducing government waste and cutting federal bureaucracy.

The acronym "DOGE" is a nod to Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin.

Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House "advice and guidance" and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to "drive large-scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before," Trump said in a statement. He added that the move would shock government systems.

The two are tasked with achieving this goal by the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 2026, according to Trump’s statement.

"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies — Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement," Trump said in his statement.

It was unclear how the organization would operate. It could come under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which dictates how external groups that advise the government must operate and be accountable to the public.

Federal employees are generally required to disclose their assets and entanglements to ward off any potential conflicts of interest, and to divest significant holdings relating to their work. Because Musk and Ramaswamy would not be formal federal workers, they would not face those requirements or ethical limitations, according to the Associated Press.

Trump has often said he would give 53-year-old Musk a formal role overseeing a group similar to a blue-ribbon commission that would recommend ways to slash spending and make the federal government more efficient. Musk, known for his key roles at SpaceX and Tesla, previously suggested he could find more than $2 trillion in savings — nearly a third of total annual government spending.

Since Trump won the presidential election, Musk has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago, according to the AP.

Ramaswamy, 39, ended his bid for the White House in January and also threw his support behind Trump.

White House counsel: William McGinley

William McGinley, a lawyer who has served in Trump's White House and in a key political role this year, will be Trump’s White House counsel.

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley "a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement."

Secretary of defense: Pete Hegseth

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of FOX News Channel’s "Fox & Friends Weekend" and has been a contributor to the network since 2014, according to the Associated Press. This is where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience, the AP noted. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

He was an infantry captain in the Army National Guard and served overseas in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was formerly head of the Concerned Veterans for America, a group backed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch, and he unsuccessfully ran for the Senate in Minnesota in 2012.

Hegseth is also the author of "The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free," published earlier this year.

CIA Director: John Ratcliffe

John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first administration, was tapped to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next if confirmed by the Senate.

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions," Trump said in a statement, calling him a "fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans" who would ensure "the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH."

Special envoy to the Middle East: Steven Witkoff

Real estate investor Steven Witkoff was named by Trump on Tuesday to be special envoy to the Middle East.

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff "is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy," Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. "Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud."

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

Ambassador to Israel: Mike Huckabee

Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel – which must be confirmed by the Senate.

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

"He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him," Trump said in a statement. "Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East."

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland, according to the Associated Press.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

National security adviser: Mike Waltz

Waltz, a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, was asked to be Trump’s national security adviser. This position is appointed by the president and does not require confirmation by the Senate.

The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah.

"Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda," Trump's statement on Tuesday said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!"

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Chief of staff: Susie Wiles

Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. She’ll become the first woman to ever hold the influential role of chief of staff.

Wiles has a background in Florida politics. She helped Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump's defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with the president-elect, according to the Associated Press. Wiles is said to have earned Trump's trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump's three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice, the AP reported.

‘Border czar’: Tom Homan

Homan, Trump’s former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, was tapped to be the "border czar" in his incoming administration. This means carrying out Trump’s top priority of the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

Homan, 62, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign, according to the AP.

Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen."

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump's "zero tolerance" policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

Homan is expected to be part of the White House staff and would not be subject to Senate confirmation, according to Politico – which added that he would not have legal authority over federal agencies that manage the border. Instead, he would have to direct their activities through others who do have Senate confirmation or are installed in those posts through designations as acting officials or by recess appointments, the outlet noted.

United Nations ambassador: Elise Stefanik

Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment.

Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election.

Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership.

Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile.

If confirmed by the Senate, she would represent American interests in the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine that began in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah.

Deputy chief of staff for policy: Stephen Miller

Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families.

Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

Environmental Protection Agency: Lee Zeldin

Trump selected former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, which would need to be confirmed by the Senate.

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president, according to the Associated Press.

The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X, "We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI."

"We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water," he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would "drill, baby, drill," referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin "will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet."

Energy Secretary: Chris Wright

Trump picked Chris Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, as energy secretary.

Wright has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change and could give fossil fuels a boost — including quick action to end a year-long pause on natural gas export approvals by the Biden administration.

Wright has criticized what he calls a "top-down" approach on climate by liberal and left-wing groups and said the climate movement around the world is "collapsing under its own weight."

Who is still in the running for available Trump cabinet positions?

Scott Bessent, possible treasury secretary

Scott Bessent is a key economic advisor for Donald Trump and is considered as one of the top candidates to be the president-elect’s new treasury secretary. Bessent, a hedge fund investor who taught at Yale University, has a good relationship with Trump, Reuters reported. Bessent has praised Trump’s use of tariffs as a negotiating strategy and his economic philosophy.

Robert Lighthizer, potential trade czar or treasury secretary

Robert Lighthizer, 77, served as Donald Trump’s U.S. trade representative during his first term as president.

Lighthizer has a chance to be appointed treasury secretary but the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump wants Lighthizer to serve as his trade czar.

Reuters noted that Lighthizer believes in tariffs and was one of the leading people in Trump’s trade battle with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada during Trump’s first stint in the White House.

Howard Lutnick, possible treasury secretary

Howard Lutnick is the co-chair of Donald Trump’s transition effort and the longtime chief executive of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

The 63-year-old is in the running for treasury secretary, and he has also lauded Trump’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs.

Lutnick at times has given detailed views about what policies will be implemented in the president-elect’s second term, which some Trump supporters questioned, according to Reuters.

Linda McMahon, possible commerce secretary

Linda McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the WWE wrestling franchise, and she’s also a former Small Business Administration director and is considered a favorite to become Donald Trump’s commerce secretary.

The 76-year-old is a bigger donor for Trump and was one of his early supporters when he first ran for president in 2016. Reuters noted that Trump picked McMahon to co-lead a transition team created to help vet personnel and draft policy before the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Kash Patel, potential candidate for national security role

Kash Patel is a former Republican House staff member who worked in high-ranking staff positions in the defense and intelligence sectors during Donald Trump’s first term in office. According to Reuters, Patel has appeared on the campaign trail to garner support for Trump.

Patel, 44, is a loyalist of Trump and said in an interview in 2023 with Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, that he would "come after" politicians and journalists viewed as adversaries of Trump.

Reuters reports that during Trump’s first term in office, Patel was considered volatile by some national security officials who felt he would pander to Trump.