Who Has Trump Nominated For His Second Administration? A Comprehensive List of Trump's Selections

As President-elect Donald Trump’s second term nears, his prospective cabinet has begun to take shape.

Ranging from multi-millionaires to former lawmakers, President Trump’s cabinet nominees hail from diverse sectors of America. Here is a list of Trump’s choices (updated relevantly) to date:

Susan Wiles- White House Chief of Staff

President-elect Donald Trump’s first cabinet position was given to Susan Wiles, who will serve as the first female chief of staff in history. Wiles, who managed President’s Trump campaign, has had a successful track record helping Republican candidates win their respective races. 

Marco Rubio-Secretary of State

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was tapped by Trump to lead the Department of State. Senator Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles, is known for his hawkish China policies and opposition to socialism’s growth across the West. 

Matt Gaetz-Attorney General

Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a staunch supporter of the "America First" agenda, was selected to lead Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ). Gaetz famously led the charge against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) earlier this year. The effort led to Speaker McCarthy being ousted from his position and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) taking his place.

John F. Kennedy Jr- Health and Human Services 

Kennedy Jr. was selected to lead the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement through the department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, who endorsed Trump in the lead up to the November election, has made health a central focus of his political career. 

Kristi Noem-Department of Homeland Security

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has previously served in the South Dakota state legislature, the US House of Representatives, and is a rancher, farmer, small business owner, and New York Times bestselling author. Noem has been a fierce critic of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies and previously sent 60 South Dakota national guardsmen to patrol the southern border. 

Department of Defense- Pete Hegseth

Hegseth has been a consistent Trump supporter and is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth has claimed he will end progressive military programs and has generally criticized the direction of the Department of Defense, claiming it needs to be reoriented to focus on efficiency and mission execution rather than diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Environmental Protection Agency-Lee Zeldin

For the EPA, Trump selected Lee Zeldin, a former New York Representative and proponent of environmental deregulation. “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,” said Trump. 

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy-Department of Government Efficiency

Musk and Ramaswamy will lead a new department, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), intended to slash government spending and bureaucracy. Musk and Ramaswamy have both proposed massively reducing the size and scope of the federal government.

John Ratcliffe- Central Intelligence Agency

Trump has also chosen John Ratcliffe, who served as his director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, to lead the CIA. Ratcliffe was one of Trump’s strongest defenders during his impeachment trials and his previous experience within the intelligence community makes him a more traditional choice.

Tom Homan-Border czar

Homan was Trump’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director until 2018 and will administer Trump’s immigration policy and enforce border security. “I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,” said Trump via Truth Social. “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.” It is not yet clear which specific role Homan will fill.

Elise Stefanik- United Nations Ambassador

Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY), was chosen to lead the US’ mission to the UN.

Representative Stefanik’s ambassadorial role will be key for directing President Trump’s foreign policy. Stefanik recently gained popularity through her intense questioning of Ivy-league University presidents following pro-Palestine protests on their campuses in the wake of the October 7th attacks. 

Michael Waltz-National Security Advisor

Representative Mike Waltz's role as national security adviser will have him brief President Trump on national security issues, a position that does not require Senate confirmation.

The Florida Congressman and former Green Beret has stepped up to bat for Trump in foreign policy multiple times, with his most recent comments coming after a second Iranian plot to assassinate the President-elect was uncovered just before Election Day.

Tulsi Gabbard-Director of National Intelligence

Representative Tulsi Gabbard (R-HI) will lead the department of national intelligence, an important role that will set the policy for the US’ intelligence operations. Representative Gabbard has embraced Trump in recent years, proclaiming that the "America First" agenda is the future.Rep. Gabbard formerly served as a member of the Democratic Party where she was the vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. After finding ideological conflict with the party, she left and registered as an Independent. Earlier this year, she announced that she had registered as a Republican while speaking at a rally for President Trump.

Doug Burgum-Department of Interior

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has also been selected to lead the department of interior. The department of interior is tasked with managing public lands and minerals, national parks, and wildlife refuges. Governor Burgum previously ran for president and eventually endorsed Trump.