All Eyes on Trump as He Begins Tapping Cabinet Officials With Rubio and Waltz as Potential Picks

President-elect Donald Trump has announced he will be swiftly selecting his cabinet in the coming days and weeks, which has stirred speculation as to who will be chosen.

Names that have been floated include Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Elon Musk, Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL).

Senator Rubio did not rule out a position within President Trump’s administration when asked by CNN, while stating he had not been spoken to by anyone within the Trump campaign about joining the administration. 

“I haven't had any such conversations with anybody in the Trump administration, and either way, I plan to work with them, whether it's on in the Senate, which is an important place to be, or in some other capacity,” he said. 

Rubio continued via press release, adding “now it’s time to get to work and put the interests of Americans first. I look forward to working with President-elect Trump, Vice President-elect Vance, and Republican majorities in Congress to secure the border, strengthen our communities, lower costs, and bring good jobs back to America.”

Representative Waltz has been rumored for a potential Secretary of Defense position. 

Waltz told the media last July he would be open to filling such a role within Trump’s administration if he was selected for it. 

““I’ve worked in the Pentagon. I’ve worked in the White House and now on the committees. I’ve obviously been in the military for 27 years. I’ve helped advise [Trump] on national security issues and if the president calls, the president calls,” Waltz said.

Other potential picks include Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Betsy DeVos. 

DeVos previously served as Trump’s Department of Education Secretary and has stated she would like to serve on it again, with the focus on phasing out the agency. 

The transition team is being led by  Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, a stark contrast to when former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was at the helm during Trump’s first term. 

Trump has been maintaining a low profile regarding cabinet picks, but is reportedly going to be balancing loyalty with expertise as he crafts the team that will support his second presidential term.