Fresh out of Barnard College with a degree in political science, Riley is learning the ropes as a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).
Susie Wiles has been named Trump’s White House chief of staff. A longtime Republican strategist and Florida political operative, Wiles will be the first woman to hold the position. Before serving as Trump’s de facto campaign advisor in 2024, she was credited with helping Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott get elected in the Sunshine State.
Tom Homan has been tapped to serve as “border czar” to oversee Trump’s plans for mass deportations. The former ICE director is a strong believer in border control and will also be responsible for maritime and aviation security. At the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, DC, earlier this year, Homan notably said that if he was appointed to the position “no one’s off the table. If you’re here illegally, you better be looking over your shoulder.”
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser and speechwriter in Trump’s first term, has been appointed deputy chief of staff for policy. He also is expected to play a big role in cracking down on immigration. In an interview on Fox News last week, Miller expressed that he hoped to increase deportation numbers to more than one million per year, and said he hoped to begin them as soon as possible.
To head the Environmental Protection Agency, Trump announced on Monday that he would nominate former Rep. Lee Zeldin, of New York. Zeldin, if confirmed, will be tasked with carrying out Trump's campaign promise to roll back Biden’s climate policies and environmental regulations.
Rep. Mike Waltz, a House Republican and veteran Green Beret, has been chosen to serve as national security adviser. Waltz is a big China hawk who has argued that the US is not prepared enough for a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
Sen. Marco Rubio has been tapped to become America’s top diplomat – in the role of secretary of state. Rubio aligns with Trump in that he is a China hawk and has supported negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine. But he is also a proponent of maintaining alliances and could serve as a counterweight to isolationist voices in Trump’s circle on some issues. He is also known for his hawkishness when it comes to Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela — and could make Latin America a much bigger priority for Trump 2.0. Tapping Rubio “suggests that Trump is going to take a more direct interest in Latin American policy this time around,” says Eurasia Group’s Clayton Allen.
John Ratcliffe, a loyalist who served as director of national intelligence in Trump's first administration, has been tapped to become the next CIA director. Ratcliffe is also a China hawk who aligns with Trump on security policy.
Rep. Elise Stefanik will serve as the US ambassador to the UN. She is currently the chair of the House Republican Conference and the only woman in House Republican leadership. She has often criticized the UN, particularly over issues involving Israel and Palestine. She recently called for the US to conduct a “complete reassessment” of US funding for the UN if it continues to consider revoking Israel’s UN membership.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will serve as US ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is also an evangelical pastor and the first non-Jew named to the position in 15 years. He has been a stalwart supporter of Israel’s right to defend itself and of its settlements in the West Bank throughout his career. His appointment is expected to further empower the far right within Israel’s government.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been picked to become Trump’s Homeland Security chief to oversee Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FEMA, the Secret Service, and Customs and Border Protection. Noem is known as a hardliner on immigration, even sending her state’s national guard to the southern border to assist in detaining migrants, and supported Trump’s travel ban from Muslim-majority countries during his first term.
Fox News host Pete Hegseth has been nominatedto become defense secretary. Hegseth is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq but lacks government experience, and this unorthodox choice is already facing major questions. He is expected to face a tough Senate confirmation process.
Trump has also created new positions for Elon Musk, the world's richest person, and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new "Department of Government Efficiency.” Since this cabinet position does not officially exist and cannot be created without an act of Congress, it is unclear how it will increase efficiency or streamline the bureaucracy. Trump says it will “provide advice and guidance from outside the government.”
On Wednesday, Trump announced that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a defector from the Democratic Party who was briefly in contention to be Trump’s running mate, has been nominated to become the director of national intelligence. Her prior service as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve has made her skeptical of the foreign policy establishment. She has no experience in the intelligence community and has faced allegations of parroting Kremlin propaganda. She is expected to face a tough and possibly unsuccessful Senate confirmation process.
Trump has nominated Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his attorney general. Gaetz notably was being investigated by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations until he resigned this past week after being nominated. As one of Trump's closest allies, Gaetz’s nomination raises flags about his ability to put his loyalties aside in a position that is meant to be independent of the president. That said, Gaetz is far from the first AG nominee whose independence has been questioned. The same was said about Eric Holder and Barack Obama, John Mitchell and Richard Nixon, or John F Kennedy and his brother, Robert F Kennedy. However, there are questions about whether the Senate will confirm him.
Speaking of Robert F. Kennedy, his son, RFK Jr., an environmental lawyer and an heir to one of America’s most-storied Democratic families, has been nominated as health and human services director, despite having no medical or public health degree. Kennedy is a vocal vaccine skeptic and critic of the CDC and has promoted theories that suggest HIV is not the true cause of AIDS. His appointment has raised concerns among public health experts and lawmakers that he would spread medical misinformation from the crucial health agency. Kennedy plans to take on processed foods and reform the food system.
Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota who briefly sought the Republican presidential nomination before dropping out and supporting Trump, has been named the president-elect’s pick for interior secretary. Burgum has ties to fossil fuel companies and often served as a liaison between oil executives and Trump on the campaign trail.
To lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Trump has nominated former heart surgeon and television host Dr. Mehmet Oz. The agency oversees the health insurance program more than 150 million Americans rely on, sets policies that guide the prices that drug companies, hospitals, and doctors rely on, and encompasses about a quarter of all federal spending. Dr. Oz has frequently clashed with other medical professionals, including promoting malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine to ward off the coronavirus, and was once called before a Senate panel for hyping miracle weight loss products on his TV show without proof that they worked.
Sean Duffy's career has run from starring on the 1990s MTV reality show, "The Real World: Boston," to representing Wisconsin in the Senate, to hosting Fox News Business, to now, being nominated for Transportation secretary. In the announcement of his appointment, Trump said that he hoped that Duffy would use his experience and relationships in Congress to "rebuild our nation's infrastructure and usher in a golden age of travel."
For Commerce Secretary, Trump has nominated the leader of his transition team, Wall Street billionaire Howard Lutnick. The position is one of the most powerful economic roles in government and will take the lead in implementing Trump's tariff and trade agenda, which he fervently supports. Lutnick has been a massive supporter of Trump's campaign, donating $1 million to his super PAC over the last two years and fundraised more than $75 million.
Linda McMahon, another major Trump donor and former professional wrestling executive, has been nominated to lead the Education Department -- an agency Trump has repeatedly threatened to eliminate in his next term. McMahon ran the Small Business Administration for much of his first term and has been critiqued as inexperienced for the role since she has little to no background in teaching or education policy.
