President-elect Donald Trump has spent the weeks since his 2024 election victory unveiling his selections for most sensible White House positions, ambassadors and branch heads to fill his new administration. In addition to his Cabinet members, many of those appointees will play key roles in shaping policies in Trump’s moment term and furthering his aims on problems ranging from fitness care to immigration to customs price lists and much more.

Here is a look at who Trump has chosen and the latest on his transition:

President-elect Trump is installing Texas border czar Mike Banks as head of the U. S. Border Patrol, sources told CBS News.

Banks will replace current chief Jason Owens, who sources said is expected to retire later this year.

The banks played a key role in Texas’ competing border effort, in which the state transported tens of thousands of migrants to major U. S. cities, deployed the National Guard to the banks of the Rio Grande with wire spikes and assigned infantrymen to prevent the invasion. Migrants under charges of trespassing.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan.16 two picks for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

He chose Richard Fordyce for the position of Undersecretary of Agricultural Production and Conservation.  

“Richard is a proud fourth-generation soybean, corn, and cattle farmer, who served as administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency in my first term and in the past served as Missouri’s director of agriculture,” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump Michael Boren as Undersecretary of Herbal Resources and Environment.

Trump said Boren, the co-founder of Clearwater Analytics, “will work to reinvigorate Forest Management at a time when it is desperately needed.”

President-elect Trump announced on Jan. 9 that he had selected Christine Jack Toretti as the next U. S. ambassador to Sweden.

“Christine is an incredible businesswoman, philanthropist, public servant, and RNC Committeewoman for the Great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Trump said. 

Toretti was appointed U. S. ambassador to Malta during the first Trump administration. He earned a certificate of competence in 2018 and 2019, but never applied for the position.

Democratic senators discovered that, according to the Arizona Daily Star, she had a restraining order taken out against her for leaving a bullet-riddled target sheet in the office of an Arizona doctor she was upset with, and her nomination didn’t proceed. Trump did not renominate her in 2020, according to a Democratic staff report for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.  

President-elect Trump announced on January 6 that he had decided on Joseph Nocella Jr. for the position of president of the United States. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

The Eastern District includes each of Long Island’s counties, adding Kings and Queens counties in Brooklyn, as well as Richmond County in Staten Island. Nocella Jr. has served as a judge in the Nassau County District Court since 2022.

“Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing law and order to fellow New Yorkers, and has served as a Nassau County District Court Judge and a Family Court Judge,” Trump wrote on social media. social. “A proud graduate of Columbia Law School, he also spent more than ten years in personal practice. “

President-elect Donald Trump said on January 3 that he has chosen Roman Pipko as ambassador to Estonia.

Pipko was born and raised in Estonia and immigrated to the United States in 1981, according to an article on Soviet law he co-authored. He worked at the W. A. ​​Harriman Institute for Advanced Studies of the Soviet Union at Columbia University and has a law degree from Yale Law School.

Trump said Pipko thoroughly enjoyed dealing with foreign governments and represented U. S. interests at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Russian-American Enterprise Fund.

“As a legal immigrant, he has lived the promise of America and I am confident that he will move Americans forward in his new role,” Trump said.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on January 2 that he had selected Benjamín León Jr. as ambassador to Spain.

Leon is the founder of Leon Medical Centers, which provides care for Medicare patients in the Miami area. Leon has also owned a solid for decades where he breeds Paso Fino horses and has also dabbled in thoroughbred racing, according to ESPN.

President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 2 announced his picks to fill various roles throughout the Treasury Department:

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Jan. 2 that he had selected Joe Popolo as U. S. ambassador to the Netherlands.

Popolo is the founder and CEO of Charles

“Joe is a successful businessman and philanthropist in many other sectors,” Trump said on social media. “He is a proud graduate of Boston College, a member of its board of trustees and also a patron of the arts at the Vatican Museum. “

President-elect Donald Trump on Christmas said that he will nominate Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as ambassador to Panama, which he accused in his announcement of “ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams.”

Cabrera is a Miami-Dade County commissioner and serves as vice chair of the International Trade Consortium and the Community Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Committee. He had previously worked as the Florida state director for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee.

“Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin – He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!” Trump wrote on social media. 

Trump has warned in recent days that the United States deserves to take back the Panama Canal, which has been operated entirely through the Panama Canal Authority, owned by the government of Panama, since 1999, following the signing of a treaty through the President Jimmy Carter in 1977.  

In response, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said that “every meter” of the canal “belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama. “

“We’ll see!”  Trump posted after Mulion’s response. In a social media post, Trump shared the symbol of an American flag planted in the canal with the caption “Welcome to the American Canal!”

According to the US State Department, the United States uses the canal more than any other country: 72 of all ships transit the canal to or from US ports.  

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 4 he has picked ambassadors to Portugal and Malta.

Somers Farkas, the wife of Jonathan Farkas, an heir to the Alexander’s department store fortune, is Trump’s choice to serve as the next United States ambassador to the Republic of Malta.

“Somers is a model, philanthropist, documentary producer, and very successful businesswoman,” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump also announced he’s chosen automotive entrepreneur John Arrigo tol serve as the next United States ambassador to Portugal.

“John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry and a champion golfer. For more than thirty years, he has been a leader in the business network in West Palm Beach and is reputable in everything,” Trump wrote on social media.  

Arrigo owned car dealerships in Florida before promoting them in 2020, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

President-elect Donald Trump is filling out his National Security Council with several who served in his first administration.  

Among the options are veteran power broker Brian McCormack and veteran Middle East adviser Andrew Peek, according to other people familiar with the matter.

The NSC’s executive secretary will be Catherine Keller, according to multiple people familiar with the new hires. Keller was a deputy general counsel at the Commerce Department and deputy White House staff secretary in Trump’s first term.

Micah Ketchel, staff leader for Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz, will serve as senior adviser and special assistant to the president, one of the sources said. Trump announced Waltz as his choice for national security adviser in November. Ketchel has worked in the past for the Republican Attorneys General Association and the National Republican Congressional Committee.    

One of Trump’s transition spokesmen, Brian Hughes, will serve as deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, resources say. And James Hewitt, Waltz’s congressional communications director, will play a communications role in Trump’s new NSC.  

Learn here.  

President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 22 that he had decided on Mauricio Claver-Carone for the position of special envoy of the State Department for Latin America. Claver-Carone held several positions during the first Trump administration, adding senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council. Trump said on social media that Claver-Carone would focus on immigration and fentanyl.  

Claver-Carone went on to serve as president of the Inter-American Development Bank. He was removed from the position in 2022 following an investigation over allegations he had an affair with a staffer, according to Reuters. He denied the affair and, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, accused to Biden administration of orchestrating a smear campaign against him.

Trump also announced that he had nominated Callista Gingrich to serve as US ambassador to Switzerland. Gingrich, Newt Gingrich’s wife, was ambassador to the Vatican during Trump’s first term.  

Trump also announced that he would nominate Ken Howery to serve as U. S. ambassador to Denmark. Howery was the U. S. ambassador to Sweden during Trump’s first term. “As the co-founder of PayPal and the venture capital fund Founders Fund, Ken has transformed American leadership in innovation and technology into stories of global good fortune, and that experience will be invaluable in representing us abroad,” Array Trump wrote.

He also said, “For the sake of national security and freedom throughout the world, the United States of America believes that ownership of Greenland is an absolute necessity. “

Trump in his first term had explored the idea of buying Greenland, which Denmark’s leadership made clear was not for sale.

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday, Dec. 22 announced several picks for Defense Department positions.

Trump said he would nominate Stephen Feinberg to be deputy secretary of defense. Feinberg, co-founder and CEO of Cerberus Capital Management, was the head of Trump’s intelligence advisory council during his first term.

Trump also said he had selected Elbridge Colby for the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy. Colby was also part of Trump’s first administration, serving as deputy secretary of defense. Colby has spoken in the past to CBS News about his confidence that the U. S. wants to be more prepared to counter China’s growing influence in Asia.

Michael Duffey was announced for the role of under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment. “Mike has been a strong advocate for our Warfighters and the American Taxpayer throughout his many years of public service, including in the Department of Defense, and the Office of Management and Budget of my First Administration,” Trump wrote on social media.

During Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2019, then-Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pointed to an email Duffey sent while he was associate director of national security systems at the Office of Management and Budget, in which he reported to the Pentagon about freezing aid to Ukraine. — as an example of why witnesses were called in the impeachment trial. In the end, no witnesses were called.

Trump also said he had selected Emil Michael, a former Uber executive, to be undersecretary of defense for studies and engineering. “Emil Will, our military has the most technologically complex weapons in the world, while saving our taxpayers A LOT of money,” Trump wrote.

Trump selected Republican billionaire Tilman Fertitta as the US ambassador to Italy, the president-elect announced on December 21.

“I must announce that Tilman J. Fertitta has been appointed U. S. ambassador to Italy,” Trump said in a message posted on his Truth Social platform.

Fertitta is the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and CEO of Landry’s, Inc. Earlier this month, other people familiar with the resolution told CBS News that Trump would pick Fertitta for the job.

During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy. If introduced in the Senate, Fertitta would update the current U. S. ambassador to Italy, Jack Markell.  

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 he has tapped Mark Burnett as the special envoy to the United Kingdom, a newly-created post.

A prolific television producer, The 64-year-old British native is best known for launching the reality show “Survivor” in the U.S. He also created and produced the show “The Apprentice,” which launched Trump back into the spotlight in the early 2000s.  

A source familiar with the decision told CBS News that Burnett was originally on the list for consideration as U.S. ambassador to the U.K., but as a dual national, that made the situation complicated. That selection ultimately went to Republican donor Warren Stephens, CEO of investment bank Stephens Inc.  

It’s unclear exactly what Burnett’s envoy role will entail.  

“With an outstanding career in television production and business, Mark brings to this vital role a unique combination of diplomatic acumen and foreign recognition,” Trump wrote on social media. “Mark will work on diplomatic relations, focusing on spaces of mutual interest, and added trade, investment opportunities and cultural exchanges. “

Trump added that “Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.”

—Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.  

President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he had selected David Fink to be administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.

“I am proud to announce that the renowned David Fink, a fifth-generation railroad worker, will be the next Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). “David will bring more than 45 years of transportation leadership and good fortune that will propel the FRA into a new era of protection and technological innovation,” Trump wrote on social media.  

President-elect Donald Trump announced on Dec. 21 that he had chosen Aaron Reitz as the next head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.

“I am pleased to nominate Aaron Reitz to serve as the next Head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy (OLP). Aaron will lead OLP to develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda and restore integrity to our Justice System. He will be working with Attorney General Nominee, Pam Bondi,” wrote Trump on social media.

Reitz is currently the leader of Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who ran for president against Trump in 2016.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 21 that he had selected Chad Mizelle to lead the Justice Department.  

“I am pleased to announce that Chad Mizelle will serve as Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice, where he will work with our wonderful Attorney General Nominee, Pam Bondi,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, was chosen by Donald Trump to serve as U.S. attorney general hours after his first choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration after a federal sex trafficking investigation and ethics probe made his ability to be confirmed dubious.

Trump said that in his first term, Mizelle “helped secure our border and prevent the flow of illegal drugs and extraterrestrial beings into our country,” as the general and Department of Homeland Security chief of staff suggests.  

“Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will bring accountability, integrity and justice to the Department of Justice,” Trump wrote.

President-elect Donald Trump announced on December 17 that he had decided that former Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker would be the US ambassador to the Bahamas.

Walker is a former college and NFL football star whose unsuccessful 2022 campaign in the runoff election against Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock was plagued by controversy.

“Herschel has spent decades serving as an ambassador for our nation’s youth, our men and military, and athletes at home and abroad,” Trump said in a Truth Social article in announcing the selection.

The variety will still have to be shown through the Senate. Kimberly Furnish has been the embassy’s chargé d’affaires since June, and the U. S. hasn’t had an acting ambassador to the Bahamas since 2011. In 2017, Trump chose billionaire Doug Manchester for the position, but the selection fell through and CBS News reports a 2019 investigation revealed a potential pay-per-play scheme involving the Republican National Committee and Manchester, which eventually withdrew his name.  

During his Senate bid, Walker, who ran on an anti-abortion platform, was forced to face accusations that he had already paid for two women’s abortions, claims he vehemently denied during the election campaign.

The race was closely watched as Warnock’s victory gave Democrats a narrow 51-seat majority in the Senate. They lost this majority in the November elections.  

Despite losing money in 2022, Walker remained a surrogate for Trump in the 2024 election, holding him back on the path of the crusade.  

President-elect Trump announced on Dec. 17 that he would nominate Nicole McGraw as U. S. ambassador to Croatia.  

“Nicole is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and World renowned art collector. She opened her first art gallery in Palm Beach Gardens in 2006, and has since built a client base that spans the Globe, as well as a successful hedge fund specializing in fine art investments,” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump announced his picks for several other ambassadorships on Monday, December 16.

He named Lou Rinaldi as his team ambassador in Uruguay. “Lou, a successful businessman, entrepreneur and lifelong friend, brings a lifetime of delight and exclusivity to this vital role,” Trump wrote in an article in Truth Social. “Having grown up in Uruguay, he has a deep knowledge of the country’s culture and history. ” 

Leah Francis Campos, Trump’s selected ambassador to the Dominican Republic, previously served as a case officer at the CIA and then as senior adviser for the Western Hemisphere to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She is also the sister of Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, and Campos’ brother-in-law, former Congressman Sean Duffy, is Trump’s nominee for transportation secretary.

Trump has chosen Arthur Graham Fisher, founder of a real estate company in North Carolina, as ambassador to Austria. “Art supports America First policies and will make us proud in Austria!” he wrote.

And Stacey Feinberg chosen as ambassador to Luxembourg. Trump said Feinberg worked with her father at his sports and entertainment law firm before becoming a Broadway producer, motivational speaker and serving on the board of directors of the Women Founders Network.

Trump announced on Monday, Dec. 16, that George Glass is his choice for U.S. ambassador to Japan. Glass’ likely pick was first reported by CBS News last week.

Glass served as ambassador to Portugal during the first Trump administration. Before that, he worked in investment banking and real estate.  

“Highly respected man. That’s right,” Trump said when asked at a news conference if Glass was his pick. “Hghly respected. He’s been an ambassador before did a fantastic job. We consider Japan very important. He’s very highly respected.”

—Jennifer Jacobs, Ed O’Keefe and Fin Gomez  

Trump announced on December 14 that he had chosen Richard Grenell as presidential envoy for special missions, a new position.  

Grenell, 58, a former Trump loyalist, served as acting director of US national intelligence and US ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term.  

Grenell, however, resigned as ambassador in June 2020 after straining relations with Germany over his public positions on a number of issues, adding that he was vocal in favor of right-wing European political movements and threatening to withdraw US troops from Germany. in the middle of the first Trump administration. . NATO’s constant complaint.

In early 2020, previous political consulting work he reportedly performed for foreign entities brought accusations to the attention of Senate Democrats that he may have presented a clash of interests with his positions as ambassador and acting director of the DNI.  

Grenell also served as State Department spokesperson to the United Nations under George W. Bush.  

It’s unclear what the newly created position entails, but Trump in a Truth Social article wrote that Grenell “will be working in some of the places around the world, including Venezuela and North Korea. ”    

Trump announced on December 14 that he had appointed Edward Walsh as US ambassador to Ireland.  

Walsh is president and founder of Walsh Company, a real estate company based in New Jersey.  

If introduced in the Senate, Walsh would upgrade Claire Cronin, the current US ambassador to Ireland.  

Trump announced on December 14 that he planned to name Troy Edgar as deputy secretary of Homeland Security.  

“Troy previously served as chief financial officer and deputy assistant secretary for Homeland Security Management, where he performed notable work managing its $90 billion budget, resourcing critical immigration policies, and investing in the structure of the wall,” he wrote on social media. media. Edgar is most recently an IBM executive, Trump said.

Trump noted that Edgar was once mayor of Los Alamitos, California, and said he “helped me lead the city and county revolt against sanctuary cities in 2018. “

Trump pledged to adopt the largest deportation program in history.

Trump announced Dec. 14 on Truth Social that he had selected former California Rep. Devin Nunes to chair the President’s Intelligence Advisory Council.

Nunes, a staunch Trump ally, served in the House for about two decades before resigning from Congress in January 2022 to assume his current role as CEO of Trump’s Truth Social platform.  

Since its inception in 1956, the role of the PIAB has been to provide the President with “an independent source of recommendations on how effectively the intelligence network meets the country’s intelligence desires and on the vigor and acumen with which the network plans for the future. “”, according to his government description.  

In his announcement, Trump indicated that Nunes would keep him as CEO of Truth Social.  

Nunes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, however, in 2017 recused himself from the committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election due to an investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics into allegations that he possibly would have leaked classified information.  

Trump wrote that Nunes “will draw on his experience as former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and his key role in exposing the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, to provide me with independent assessments of the effectiveness and propriety of the U.S. Intelligence Community’s activities.” 

He added that the advisory council will be made up of “outstanding citizens outside the federal government. “

Trump on Dec. 14 picked businessman Bill White to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote “Bill is a highly respected businessman, philanthropist, author, and advocate for our Nation’s Military, Veterans, and First Responders. He is the CEO of Constellations Group, and former President of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. pleased to announce that Bill White will serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.”

He White had raised “more than $1. 5 billion for our fallen, seriously injured and badly burned heroes. “

Trump on Dec. 11 tapped Michael J. Rigas as deputy secretary of state for management and resources.

“Michael will bring accountability to the State Department as he did Government wide, when he served in my First Term as the Deputy and Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and the Acting Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget,” Trump wrote.

Trump announced in December that he would nominate Daniel Newlin as ambassador to Colombia.

“A highly accomplished executive, businessman and former sheriff’s detective, Dan has an impressive 28-year career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida,” Trump said.

Newlin is also the founder of the Florida-based Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys.

“With his law enforcement experience enabling him to address complex foreign issues and his business savvy fostering economic partnerships, Newlin presents himself as a strong defender of American interests and an advocate for strengthening ties and differences in the world,” Trump said. “Dan will do a wonderful job!”

Trump announced his goal of nominating Peter Lamelas as ambassador to Argentina on December 11. Lamelas is the founder and former CEO of MD Now Urgent Care, which has several locations in Florida.

“I have already nominated him to serve on the Department of Justice Medal of Valor Review Committee, which honors the courage of our nation’s first responders,” Trump wrote on social media. “He served on the Board of Medicine of Florida and as commissioner of the city of Manalapan, Florida.  

Trump hired Kari Lake, a former longtime news anchor who lost her candidacy to an Arizona senator in 2024 and the state’s governor in 2022, as director of the U. S. television network Voice of America. Trump also indicated in his announcement that he will soon announce who will head the U. S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America.

Following Trump’s announcement, Lake wrote on social media that she was “honored” to be selected.  

“Under my leadership, VOA will excel in its pursuit of chronicling American achievements in the world,” Lake said. “

Trump announced on Dec. 11 that he had selected Leandro Rizzuto Jr. as ambassador to the Organization of American States. Rizzuto Jr. is the son of Leandro Rizzuto, the founder of Conair, where Rizzuto Jr. built his career.  

Rizzuto Jr. was previously the top official at the U. S. consul general in Bermuda near the end of Trump’s first term. Trump originally nominated Rizzuto Jr. as ambassador to Barbados in 2018, but the Senate voted not to confirm him.

“Lee will be the next ambassador to the OAS!” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump announced on December 10 that he would name former US ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, as the next ambassador to Mexico.

Johnson, an Army veteran and career civil servant, served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first term.

“Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies,” Trump said in post to Truth Social.

Johnson served in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1998, retiring as a colonel. He then joined the CIA, where he held various roles, including as CIA science and technology liaison to the U.S. Special Operations Command.

Trump’s election comes after he threatened last month to impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada when he took office in January, in reaction to drug trafficking and the border crisis.

This prompted a call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who also suggested that Mexico might simply retaliate if it followed through on its threat.  

Billionaire Tilman Fertitta, CEO of Landry’s Hotel Group, Inc. and owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, is Trump’s choice for U. S. ambassador to Italy, other people told CBS News on Dec. 10 near the decision.

Transition declined to comment.

Fertitta, a friend of Trump’s and longtime GOP donor, leads Landry’s Inc., a Texas-based corporation with hotels, restaurants and casinos.

Fertitta, who starred in a CNBC truth show called “Billion Dollar Buyer,” owns more than six hundred homes in 36 states and more than 15 countries, according to the company’s website, adding the iconic Golden Nugget Casino, Morton’s The Steakhouse , the Palm Restaurant and Joe’s Crab Shack.

Fertitta joined Trump and Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for a Starship rocket launch in Texas in November.

During Trump’s first administration, Lewis Eisenberg was his ambassador to Italy.

Trump selected former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle as the US ambassador to Greece, the president-elect announced on December 10.

Guilfoyle, 55, dated Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr. , and served as a fundraiser for his presidential campaign. He appeared to be on the same level as Trump and his family on election night and also delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in July.

“Kimberly is uniquely located to foster a strong bilateral dating with Greece, advancing our interests on problems ranging from defense cooperation to industry and economic innovation,” Trump said in a message published in Truth SocialArray

Guilfoyle, a prosecutor in California early in his career. She is divorced from California’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

“I feel revered for accepting President Trump’s nomination as the next ambassador to Greece and looking to the future to win the U. S. Senate seat,” she wrote in her own social media post.  

—Jennifer Jacobs and Fin Gomez  

Trump announced on December 10 that he had selected Andrew Ferguson to head the Federal Trade Commission.

Since April, Ferguson has been one of the FTC’s commissioners. If introduced in the Senate, it would upgrade incumbent Democratic Speaker Lina Khan.

Prior to becoming FTC Commissioner, he served as Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He also served as a senior advisor to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and as a Republican advisor to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Andrew has a proven track record of standing up to Big Tech censorship and protective, laid-back speech in our wonderful country,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social article when announcing his election.

The FTC is responsible for enforcing antitrust and consumer coverage laws.

Trump’s selection comes on the same day that a federal judge in Oregon temporarily blocked Kroger’s $24.6 billion acquisition of rival grocery chain Albertsons in response to a lawsuit filed by the FTC and eight state attorneys general and the District of Columbia against the deal, arguing that it would hamper competition, raise prices and hurt workers.

Trump announced on Truth Social on Dec. 10 that his confidant and major donor, Tom Barrack, would be his choice to become ambassador to Türkiye. Barrack, 77, is a billionaire investor who served as an adviser to Trump during his first term and also chaired his inaugural committee in 2016. In 2022, Barrack was accused of using his connections to the Trump administration to try to influence U. S. foreign policy by taking advantage of a client, the United Arab Emirates, but a New York jury found he was not guilty on all counts.

Trump announced on December 8 that Alina Habba, a lawyer who has represented the president-elect in legal proceedings in recent years, would be the president’s adviser.  

“She has been unwavering in her loyalty, and unmatched in her resolve – standing with me through numerous ‘trials,’ battles, and countless days in Court,” Trump said in a statement.

Trump announced on December 8 that he would nominate Michael Anton to be director of policymaking plans at the State Department. Anton was a member of the National Security Council during Trump’s first term.  

Trump announced on December 8 that he had selected Michael Needham as his State Department adviser. Needham was once a staff leader to Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick to head the State Department.  

“He has been on the front lines of the fight for the Forgotten Men and Women of America for nearly two decades, and will do a great job at State,” Trump wrote on social media announcing the pick.

Trump announced on Dec. 8 that he would nominate Christopher Landau as deputy secretary of state. Landau was the U. S. ambassador to Mexico during Trump’s first term.

“He is also one of our Country’s great lawyers, and clerked for both Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court,’ Trump said on social media.

On Dec. 5, Trump announced that Rodney Scott would be his choice to lead U. S. Customs and Border Protection.

Scott served as leader of the United States Border Patrol beginning in 2020, Trump’s first term, and briefly after President Biden took office. He began his career at the firm in 1992.

“Rodney has served nearly three decades in the Border Patrol, gaining a wealth of experience and wisdom in law enforcement and border security,” Trump said in a social media post.

Scott is highly critical of the Biden administration’s policy on the US-Mexico border. If introduced in the Senate, it would upgrade current commissioner Troy Miller.  

Last month, Trump said that immediately after taking office he would impose 25% price lists on goods from Mexico and Canada until the two countries prevent the passage of drugs and migrants across the border at their leisure.

CBP is part of the United States National Security Branch. It has around 60,000 workers and is guilty of fighting terrorism, fighting transnational crime, protecting borders and facilitating industry and travel.  

Trump announced on December 5 that he had selected former Georgia senator David Perdue as the US ambassador to China.

In an article for Truth Social, Trump said Perdue “brings us valuable experience in building our relationships with China. “

Perdue, a wealthy businessman and close Trump ally, served in the Senate from 2015 until 2021, when he lost his bid for reelection to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in a runoff. He also ran an unsuccessful gubernatorial race in the 2022 Republican primary in an effort to unseat Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. 

Last month, Trump said he planned to impose new 10% price lists on all imports from China as soon as he takes office, as well as 25% price lists on products from Canada and Mexico. inflation and cause an industrial war.  

Trump announced on December 5 that he would choose venture capitalist David Sacks to be his so-called “White House cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence czar. “

In a message posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Sacks “will consult on the administration’s policy on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, two spaces critical to the long-term of American competitiveness. “

It’s unclear exactly what Sacks’ role will be. The move comes a day after Trump selected Paul Atkins as his nominee to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission. Atkins is one of the leading proponents of cryptocurrencies. On the same day as Atkins’ appointment, Bitcoin’s value surpassed the $100,000 mark for the first time, a milestone for the industry.  

Sacks, who played a key role in PayPal’s progress, was its chief operating officer and later founded the social networking service Yammer. He has also been an angel investor in primary companies such as SpaceX, Uber and Palantir.

A past supporter of Democrat Hillary Clinton, Sacks supported Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance in the last election cycle and was an early adopter of the Trump tech money machine, urging others in Silicon Valley to give to Trump.

He also spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

Trump announced Dec. 5 that he has tapped Caleb Vitello as his acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Vitello most recently serves as deputy director of ICE’s Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs. He previously served as director of domestic law enforcement on the White House National Security Council during Trump’s first term.

ICE, first created in 2003, has more than 20,000 employees and an annual budget of about $8 billion. It is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is primarily tasked with immigration enforcement and combatting transnational crime and terrorism. Among its edicts is arresting undocumented immigrants. 

Trump on Dec. 4 announced he will nominate Frank Bisignano to head the Social Security Administration. Bisignano is currently the president and CEO of Fiserv, a financial technology and payment company. 

“Frank is a business leader, with a tremendous track record of transforming large corporations,” Trump wrote on social media. “He will be responsible to deliver on the Agency’s commitment to the American People for generations to come!”

Trump announced on Dec. 4 that he had settled on former Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia to lead the Small Business Administration.

In short, Loeffler served in the Senate from 2020 to 2021. She was nominated for the seat following the resignation of former Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, but lost her bid for a full term about a year later to incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff election. .

In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said “Kelly will 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.”

Loeffler, a Trump loyalist, highlighted efforts to nullify the effects of the 2020 election. She co-owned the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream team but sold the franchise in 2021 after receiving backlash for publicly criticizing the league for its Black Lives Matter movement.  

She was also briefly investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee over allegations of insider trading before the pandemic, but that investigation was dropped. 

Trump announced in December that he had selected Paul Atkins to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Atkins, a cryptocurrency advocate, served as an SEC commissioner from 2002 to 2008, appointed through Chairman George W. Bush of the time. He is currently CEO of Patomak Global Partners.

In his Truth Social announcement, Trump called Atkins a “recognized leader in practical regulation” who “believes in the promise of physically powerful, cutting-edge capital markets that satisfy investors’ desires” and “provide capital to make our economy the best in the world. ” world. “

If he runs in the Senate, he will upgrade current SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who has been competitive in his oversight of the crypto industry.

During his presidential campaign, Trump pledged to fire Gensler, who has since announced he would resign from office on Jan. 20, despite serving a five-year term through 2026.  

Florida Sheriff Chad Chronister announced on social media on December 3 that he would abandon his bid to lead the DEA after Trump tapped him to lead the firm on November 30.

Chronister has been sheriff of Florida’s Hillsborough County since 2017. Hillsborough County includes much of the Tampa Bay area. He has been with the department for 32 years. 

The DEA, a component of the Justice Department, has around 10,000 workers and is responsible for enforcing US drug laws. One of his key decrees considers the opioid crisis.

Trump announced on December 2 that he would nominate Republican donor Warren Stephens as his next ambassador to the United Kingdom. Trump called Stephens, chief executive of investment bank Stephens Inc. , “one of the most successful entrepreneurs” in the United States and said he “always dreamed of serving the United States full time. “

Trump announced on Dec. 1 that he had chosen businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Trump described Boulos, the father of Tiffany Trump’s husband, as a “negotiator. ” 

Trump said on Nov. 30 that he planned to nominate Kash Patel to be FBI director.

Current FBI Director Chris Wray would have to resign voluntarily or be fired through Trump if he were replaced before his term ends in 2027.

A source has previously told CBS News that Trump’s team was aware of the complexities of unseating Wray.

Patel held intelligence and defense positions during Trump’s first term, serving as the Secretary of Defense’s staff leader.  

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Patel “a brilliant lawyer, investigator and ‘America First’ fighter who has spent his career exposing corruption, protecting justice and protecting the American people. ”  

Patel, 44, held intelligence and defense positions during Trump’s first term, adding the defense secretary as a staff leader. He was also appointed through Trump to be a representative of the National Archives and Records Administration and testified before a federal grand jury in the classified Mar-a-Lago documents case.  

He is a lawyer and staunch Trump loyalist who rose to prominence as an aide to former Republican Rep. Devin Nunes of California in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

The University College London graduate served on Trump’s National Security Council, then as a senior adviser to acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell, and later as leader to acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller.

Patel published an e-book in 2023 called “Government Gangsters,” which received praise from Trump and in which Patel writes that “the FBI has become so deeply compromised that it will continue to be a risk to others unless drastic action is taken. ” be taken. ”

“This is the roadmap to ending deep state government,” Trump said on Truth Social in September 2023.

—Libby Cathey, Jake Rosen, Fin Gómez and Ed O’Keefe

Trump announced on Nov. 30 that he had selected real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his ambassador to France.

The 70-year-old Charles Kushner was pardoned by Trump in his first term for a 2005 federal conviction on 18 counts of assisting in the filing of false tax returns, retaliating against a cooperating witness and making false statements to the FEC, for which Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison. That case was prosecuted by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Jared Kushner served as Trump’s senior adviser during his first term. He is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.  

In a post to Truth Social announcing the decision, Trump called Kushner a “tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests.”

Trump announced retired Gen. Keith Kellogg as the envoy for Ukraine and Russia in a Nov. 27 post on social media, writing that he “has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration.”

Kellogg served as chief of staff to the National Security Council and national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence during Trump’s first term in office. He will assume the role as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia as it nears the three-year mark of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump said he plans to nominate Jim O’Neill for the role of deputy secretary of Health and Human Services. O’Neill had several positions within HHS, including principal associate deputy secretary in the George W. Bush administration. He also served as CEO of the Thiel Foundation from 2009 to 2012. 

“Jim and RFK Jr. will fight in unison to ensure every American, and especially our most precious resource, our children, will live long and healthy lives and, Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Trump said Nov. 26. 

Trump announced on November 26 that he had selected Jamieson Greer as his representative of American industry. Grier, an industry lawyer, would play a leading role in Trump’s plans to approve broad price lists if confirmed. Trump noted in his announcement that Greer “played a key role in my first term in enforcing price lists in China” while working under the then-U. S. government. regime. Sales representative Robert Lighthizer.

Trump announced Nov. 26 that he has selected Jay Bhattacharya to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health. The president-elect said Bhattacharya will “work in cooperation with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” Trump’s pick for HHS secretary, “to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives.”

Bhattacharya currently serves as director of Stanford’s Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging. He was one of the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter that opposed widespread COVID-19 lockdowns before a vaccine was available, and advocated for generally healthy people to resume life as usual to develop herd immunity while “better protecting those who are at highest risk.”

“Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will repair NIH to gold in medical studies examining the underlying reasons for and responses to America’s greatest health challenges, adding to our chronic disease crisis,” Trump said.

The president-elect has selected businessman John Phelan to serve as secretary of the Navy. Phelan is the cofounder and chairman of the Palm Beach, Florida, based investment firm Rugger Management and the cofounder of MSD Capital, the private investment firm for Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell.

Phelan served in the military.  

“His incredible knowledge and experience will elevate the lives of the brave Americans who serve our Nation,” Trump said in his announcement on Nov. 26. “John will deliver real results for our Navy and our Country. I look forward to working with him.”

Trump announced on November 26 that Vince Haley would serve as director of his Domestic Policy Council. Haley was director of policy and speechwriting for the president-elect’s 2024 campaign. He was also a key figure in the speechwriting branch during Trump’s first term.

Brooke Rollins has been selected to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Trump announced on Nov. 23.

Rollins was a component of Trump’s first term as director of the Domestic Policy Council. Lately, she is president of the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing think tank.

“Brooke’s commitment to support the American farmer, defense of American food self-sufficiency, and the restoration of agriculture-dependent American small towns is second to none,” Trump said in his statement. 

On Nov. 22, Trump announced that he would nominate hedge fund CEO Scott Bessent as Treasury secretary.  

Bessent, 62, is the founder of Connecticut-based hedge fund Key Square Group, and had been making a full-court press for the post to Trump, according to a source deeply involved in transition planning. 

In a statement, Trump said he was “very pleased to nominate” Bessent, describing him as “widely reputed as one of the world’s largest foreign investors and geopolitical and economic strategists. “

Bessent, like Trump, advocates tariffs, viewing them as a way to raise revenue and protect American industries. 

He once worked for billionaire investor George Soros, a major donor to liberal causes, for about a decade in the 1990s, and at one point served as CEO of Soros’ hedge fund.  

Bessent is also openly gay, and he and his husband, former New York City prosecutor John Freeman, have two children. If confirmed, Bessent would be the first Senate-confirmed gay Cabinet member of a Republican administration. A native of South Carolina, Bessent is a graduate of Yale University. 

Trump would nominate Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, a first-term Republican, to head the Labor Department.

He lost his re-election bid to Democratic rival Janelle Bynum in the race for Oregon’s fifth congressional district.  

“Lori has worked tirelessly with the business network and the Labor Party to strengthen the American workforce and help the working men and women in America,” Trump said when pronouncing his election on November 22.  

Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien thanked Trump for “putting American people first” in making the decision.

On November 22, Trump announced that he would name Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as the nation’s surgeon general.

Neshiwat is a board-certified physician practicing in New York, where she currently serves as medical director of CityMD’s urgent care center. She is also a medical contributor for Fox News.

In a statement, Trump praised her as an “advocate and communicator of preventive medicine and public health. “

He noted: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked on the front lines in New York caring for thousands of Americans and helped patients after President Donald Trump’s historic Operation Warp Speed, which saved millions of lives.   »

Dr. Marty Makary was named commissioner of Trump’s Food and Drug Administration on November 22.

Makary is a surgeon at Johns Hopkins and professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. 

Markary has also long been best friends with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Trump’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, and well-liked in so-called “health freedom” circles.  

The FDA is a company within HHS, and Trump said in his that Makary “would work under the direction of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Makary appeared to promote ideas that were against those of mainstream medicine, suggesting “natural immunity” lessened people’s need for the vaccine. He also argued many children did not need to be vaccinated against the disease.

Scott Turner, a former NFL player, was picked by Trump on Nov. 22 to be his secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Turner served in Trump’s first term as executive director of the White House Revitalization and Opportunities Council. Turner is also the highest-ranking black user to be so elected during Trump’s administration, according to the Associated Press.  

Trump has chosen former Rep. Dave Weldon, who is also a Florida physician, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Weldon, who served in Congress for 14 years, was first elected in 1994. He has also been a doctor for 40 years, Trump said. In 2012, four years after leaving the House, Weldon ran for Senate but lost in the GOP primary. .  

Weldon is a conservative Christian who also participated in the 2005 fight over whether to remove the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman whose husband authorized a state court to let her die, be removed. Weldon filed a bill to force federal review of the matter.  

Weldon believed that Schiavo was not in a vegetative state. While he was in Congress, he served on the House Oversight Committee, the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, and worked on budget issues involving the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC. 

Trump, in announcing Weldon’s appointment, said he would “prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC.”  

Trump said Nov. 22 he will name Russ Vought as OMB director. Vought served in this role in the latter part of the first Trump administration. 

Vought was involved in writing the conservative Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which contains a detailed blueprint for the next Republican president to usher in a sweeping overhaul of the executive branch.

He served as political director of the 2024 Republican National Committee Platform Committee, which followed the Republican Party’s platform at the July convention.  

On Nov. 21, the same day Trump’s first nominee for the job, former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, resigned as attorney general, the president-elect announced that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi would be his new nominee. . Training

Bondi served two terms as Florida attorney general and was the first woman to win election to office in 2010. She was a loyal best friend to Trump and defended him in his first impeachment trial.  

Bondi later worked with Linda McMahon and other Trump allies at the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing tank that has been devising and selling conservative policies since 2021.

On Nov. 14, Trump made one of his first Cabinet announcements, ally and embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. The pick was immediately met with backlash, especially since the House Ethics Committee had been investigating Gaetz for alleged illicit drug use and sexual misconduct. Gaetz resigned from Congress shortly afterward and said he did not intend to serve in the new Congress, putting into question if the House Ethics report would ever be released from the public.

But Gaetz’s nomination collapsed after a week. On November 21, he withdrew his candidacy for attorney general, saying that “the Trump Department of Justice wants to be in position and in position on day one. ” Trump temporarily nominated former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. to reposition Gaetz. Gaetz said his resignation from the 119th Congress would stand and that the House Ethics Committee ultimately canceled the report’s release.  

Trump announced that he had selected Pete Hoekstra as U. S. ambassador to Canada. Hoekstra, the current chairman of the Michigan Republican Party and a former congressman who represented Michigan’s 2nd District, also served as U. S. ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump’s first term.  

“He has done an extraordinary job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands in our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to shape our country in this new role,” Trump wrote on social media on November 20.

Trump announced that he had selected Matthew Whitaker, his former acting U. S. attorney general, as the U. S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He said in a statement that Whitaker would “strengthen relationships with our NATO allies and provide companionship in the face of threats to peace and stability. ” 

Whitaker, 55, has a legal background, not a foreign policy one. He was appointed U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa by George W. Bush.

Whitaker served as Trump’s acting attorney general for a few months, from November 2018 to February 2019.  

Trump announced that he had selected Linda McMahon to head the Department of Education. McMahon, a former wrestling executive, led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term and is co-chair of his 2024 transition team.

“As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand “Choice” to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 19. “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”

During the campaign, Trump pledged to shut down the department, complaining that the agency’s budget is too large and that its staff “in many cases hate our children.”  

McMahon and her husband, WWE mogul Vince McMahon, have been friends with Trump for more than 20 years and are among his biggest donors.  

Trump chose Dr. Mehmet Oz, a prominent central surgeon who hosted a television show in daylight hours, to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS. The firm is under the Department of Health and Human Services and oversees Medicare, the federal part of the Medicaid program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the federal fitness insurance marketplace.

“America is facing a health care crisis, and there may be no physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to make America healthy again,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 19. “He is an eminent physician, heart surgeon, inventor, and world-class communicator, who has been at the forefront of healthy living for decades.”

The president-elect said Oz would work with Kennedy, if he were to run the Department of Health and Human Services, “to confront the disease-commercial complex and all the terrible chronic diseases that exist within it. ” emerge. ” He also indicated there could be cuts to CMS, writing that Oz will also “reduce waste and fraud at our nation’s most expensive government agency, which accounts for one-third of our country’s physical care spending and one-quarter of our total national budget.

Oz was defeated by Democrat John Fetterman in the Pennsylvania Senate race in 2022 after beating Trump.

Trump announced on Nov. 19 his intent to nominate billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary. The president-elect said Lutnick “will lead our tariff and trade agenda” and oversee the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, was a co-chairman of Trump’s transition and a major donor to his campaign.

Citing his role in the transition, Trump said Lutnick “created the most complicated procedure and formula to create the greatest management America has ever known. “

Trump announced on Nov. 18 that he would nominate former Congressman Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation. Duffy represented Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019, and served on the House Financial Services Committee, and before that was the district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin. After leaving Congress, he joined Fox News as a contributor and now co-hosts a show on Fox Business.

“He will prioritize excellence, skill, competitiveness and good looks as he rebuilds America’s roads, tunnels, bridges and airports. He will make our ports and dams serve our economy without compromising our national security,” Trump said in a statement. noted that Duffy is married to Fox News’ Rachel Campos-Duffy and is the father of nine children.

Trump announced on Nov. 17 that he had selected Brendan Carr, Elon Musk’s best friend and tech critic, to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Trump called Carr a “free speech warrior. “

Carr is currently the most level-headed Republican on the FCC, which oversees television and radio licensing, home Internet pricing and other communications issues in the United States.  

Trump has selected Chris Wright, chief executive of Liberty Energy, to lead the U. S. Department of Energy.

Trump also said on Nov. 16 that Wright would serve on the newly created National Energy Council, which will be chaired by North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick for the job of Secretary of the Interior.

Trump said in his announcement that the council “will oversee America’s path to mastery of power. ”

Wright has been a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking, and has said “there is no climate crisis and we are not in the midst of an energy transition either.”

Steven Cheung was the most level-headed spokesman for Trump’s presidential campaign and served as communications director. He returns to the White House after running for director of strategic reaction during Trump’s first term. His name will be assistant to the president and director of communications.

Trump announced Cheung and Gor’s selections together, saying in a statement that he is “thrilled to have them join my White House as we, Make America Great Again!”

Karoline Leavitt, who was national press secretary for Trump’s presidential campaign, will serve as White House press secretary. She worked in the White House during Trump’s first term as deputy press secretary.

“Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator. I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 15. 

In the past, the 27-year-old had run unsuccessfully in a congressional race in New Hampshire.  

Todd Blanche has been chosen to serve as deputy attorney general, the second-highest position in the Justice Department. Blanche defended Trump in his “hush money” trial in New York. (Trump was found guilty in that case; he denied any wrongdoing and vowed to appeal. )

Trump chose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, saying on Nov. 14 that he would take on the “food industrial complex and pharmaceutical corporations that have engaged in deception, misinformation, and misinformation” and that he would “make America healthy again. ”  »

Kennedy has a long history of criticizing vaccines, spreading misleading claims about their safety.

Kennedy has pledged to fight an “epidemic” of chronic diseases and believes that large pharmaceutical and food corporations are to blame for a wide variety of diseases. He said a number of fitness disorders have worsened due to federal inaction, adding autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sleep disorders, infertility rates, diabetes and obesity. He also advocated for eliminating fluoride from drinking water.

Kennedy ran for president as an independent, but dropped out of the race in August and Trump.  

Trump appointed former Republican Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, filling the Cabinet position with an Army veteran.  

Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 and, as the most level-headed Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, defended Trump in his first impeachment hearing.  

“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform,” Trump said in a Nov. 14 statement announcing the pick. 

Speaking Nov. 14 at Mar-a-Lago at a gala hosted by the right-wing America First Policy Institute, Trump said he plans to officially nominate North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as interior secretary.

“Actually, he’s gonna head the Department of the Interior, and he’s gonna be fantastic,” Trump told the crowd. Burgum was also in attendance.

Burgum ran against Trump for the Republican nomination before dropping out in December and endorsing Trump the following month. He was also at one point on a shortlist to be Trump’s running mate.  

When asked by reporters before the gala about the option of joining the Trump administration, Burgum replied, “There’s been a lot of discussion about a lot of other things. And. . . like I said. . . nothing. It’s true until you read it. “

Trump made the announcement official on Nov. 15, saying Burgum would also head “the newly formed and very vital National Energy Council. “Trump said the council would come with all departments and agencies involved in “the permitting, production, distribution, regulation, and transportation of ALL of the American energy bureaucracy. ” 

Trump announced that he had selected former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence.  

“For more than two decades, Tulsi fought for our country and for the freedoms of all Americans,” he said in a Nov. 13 statement.  

Gabbard served in the Military National Guard and represented Hawaii in the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021 before becoming an independent in 2022. In his statement, Trump said that “she is now a proud Republican!”Gabbard ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary.

Gabbard does not have experience in the field of intelligence and opposes U.S. intervention in the war in Ukraine. Her views on Russia and her 2017 meeting with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad have drawn controversy.

Sergio Gor, co-founder and director of Donald Trump Jr. ‘s publishing house, Winning Team Publishing, will assume the key leadership role of the Office of Presidential Personnel in the new Trump administration, the president-elect announced.  

Gor also ran the pro-Trump super PAC Right for America, which he funded in part through billionaire Ike Perlmutter and raised about $80 million to support Trump’s 2024 White House bid.  

The PPO director controls thousands of administrative appointees. The office was previously led by John McEntee at the end of the first Trump administration.  

—Fin Gomez and Jake Rosen

Trump announced four top advisers — Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, James Blair and Taylor Budowich — who worked on his presidential campaign will join him in the White House as members of his senior staff. They will all serve as assistants to the president and deputy chiefs of staff overseeing specific areas.

“Dan, Stephen, James, and Taylor were ‘best in class’ advisors on my winning campaign, and I know they will honorably serve the American people in the White House,” Trump said on Nov. 13. “They will continue to work hard to Make America Great Again in their respective new roles.”

Scavino will serve as deputy chief of staff and is described by Trump as one of his “longest and most trusted aides. ” He served as deputy chief of staff for communications and social media director during Trump’s first term.

Miller, who also worked in the White House for Trump during his first four years in office, will return as deputy chief of staff for policy and national security adviser. Miller pleaded with the president-elect for his first term and crafted the administration’s difficult immigration policies.

Blair will serve as deputy leader for legislative, political and public affairs. He served as political director of Trump’s crusade and the Republican National Committee, overseeing a portfolio of political operations and programs, the president-elect said.

Budowich has been appointed Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Personnel. He held a leadership position in Trump’s PAC Save America and served as executive director of PAC MAGA Inc.

Trump said on Nov. 13 that he intended to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida for secretary of state. This variety marks a certain distance from the time when Trump and the Florida senator were rivals in the 2016 Republican primaries.

Rubio, 53, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, is a China hawk with foreign policy experience.

Trump also announced on Nov. 12 that he will nominate former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to head the Department of Defense.

“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” the president-elect said in a statement. 

Trump praised Hegseth’s military as an Army veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.

Hegseth, 44, was a co-host of “Fox

Trump demonstrated in a Nov. 12 statement that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem was his choice to lead DHS, calling her “very strong on border security. “

Noem, who was elected governor in 2018 after serving eight years in the House, supported Trump’s bid for re-election in 2023 and joined him at several campaign rallies. She had been noted as a possible vice presidential candidate earlier in the campaign.  

Noem sparked controversy earlier this year when her new book, “No Going Back,” falsely claimed that she met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and shot and killed her 14-month-old dog Cricket after failing the training.

Former U. S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, who was director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, is the nominee for CIA director.

The president-elect announced the appointment in a social media post on Nov. 12, praising Ratcliffe for investigating Hunter Biden and the FBI’s use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

“John Ratcliffe has been a warrior of facts and honesty with the American public,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. And highlighting Ratcliffe’s role in his first administration, Trump said. “I look ahead and see that John will be the first user to hold the two highest intelligence positions in our nation. “

President-elect Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, as US ambassador to Israel. The position requires Senate confirmation.

“Mike has been a wonderful public servant, governor and devoted leader for many years,” Trump said in a statement on Nov. 12. “He loves Israel and the rest of the people of Israel, and in the same way, the other people of Israel love him. . . Mike will work tirelessly to bring peace to the Middle East!

Huckabee served as governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016. After leaving office, he hosted an exhibition on Fox News and a radio broadcast.

On Nov. 12, Trump announced he is naming billionaire ally Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a former GOP primary rival, to lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency — nicknamed DOGE, which is also the name of a cryptocurrency Musk has promoted.

“I am pleased to announce that the wonderful Elon Musk, along with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Effectiveness (“DOGE”). Together, those two glorious Americans will pave the way for my administration to dismantle the government. “This will send shockwaves through the formula and everyone involved in the government,” Trump said in a statement, adding a quote from Musk, who said, “Waste, that’s a lot of people!”

Trump’s statement indicated their roles may not be formally part of the government but would “provide advice and guidance from outside.” He said their work “will conclude no later than July 4, 2026.”

Trump presented the position of US ambassador to the United Nations to Representative Elise Stefanik.  

Stefanik, who represents a district in upstate New York, is a loyal and unwavering best friend of Trump and the fourth House Republican as chair of the House Republican Conference.

“I am honored to nominate President Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough and intelligent fighter for America First,” Trump said in a statement on September 11. November.

Stefanik withdrew from the race for the convention presidency and confirmed in a letter to fellow Republicans that she had spoken with Trump and “shared how deeply revered I am for settling for his nomination. “

The role of ambassador to the UN requires Senate confirmation.

Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla. , named national security adviser. Trump praised his military record and his experience in China, Russia, Iran and global terrorism.  

“Mike has been a strong supporter of my ‘America First’ foreign policy calendar and will be a formidable advocate for our pursuit of peace through force. “” the president-elect said at a press conference on 11 November.

Waltz, a Green Beret veteran who served combat missions in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, was elected to Congress in 2018, replacing Ron DeSantis, who was elected governor of Florida.  

Waltz, a Chinese hawk, is a member of the House of Representatives Working Group on China that aims to broaden responses to combat the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. He is also skeptical about providing more aid to Ukraine as it fights Russia’s invasion.  

Trump announced in November that he would nominate former New York Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.  

“Lee, with a solid legal background, has been a true fighter for the policies of the United States first. He will want fair and timely deregulatory decisions to be passed in a way that unleashes the strength of corporate AmericaArray while maintaining the highest environmental standards,” Trump said. he said in a statement.

Zeldin wrote, “I’m honored to join President Trump’s closet as EPA Administrator. “

Zeldin represented New York’s 1st Congressional District, on Long Island, from 2015 to 2023, and he ran for governor in 2022 but was defeated by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Trump announced on Nov. 10 that Tom Homan will serve as “border czar” in his incoming administration. Homan was the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration.

“I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration, in charge of our Nation’s Borders,” the president-elect wrote on his Truth Social site.

In addition to overseeing the southern and northern borders and “air and maritime security,” Trump said Homan “would support all deportations of illegal extraterrestrial beings to their home countries,” a major theme of Trump’s crusade.

This role requires Senate confirmation.

Homan recently interviewed Cecilia Vega of 60 Minutes ahead of the election. During the conversation, he said Trump’s mass deportation plan would be implemented.

“I hear a lot of people say, you know, the talk of a mass deportation is racist. It’s— it’s— it’s threatening to the immigrant community. It’s not threatening to the immigrant community,” Homan said. “It should be threatening to the illegal immigrant community. But on the heels of [a] historic illegal immigration crisis. That has to be done.”

A day after winning the election, Trump announced that his crusade co-chair, Susie Wiles, would be his chief of staff. Wiles, a seasoned political operative founded in Florida, will be the first woman in U. S. history to hold the position. Chief of Staff is not a position approved by the Senate, but it is a prestigious position that is considered part of the Cabinet.