President-elect Donald Trump has revealed three new appointments for his incoming administration. In a series of social media posts, Trump announced his selection of Chad Mizelle as chief of staff at the Department of Justice and Aaron Reitz as head of the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel.
Chad Mizelle previously served as the top attorney at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first term. Notably, his wife is a Trump-appointed federal judge in Florida. Aaron Reitz, on the other hand, is currently the chief of staff for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and has prior experience working in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office.
Trump highlighted Reitz's track record of leading successful lawsuits against the Biden Administration in his announcement. Additionally, David Fink has been named as the head of the Federal Railroad Administration by Trump. The President-elect expressed confidence that Fink would usher in a new era of safety and technological innovation within the FRA.
Railroad safety emerged as a significant issue during Trump’s campaign, particularly following a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023. Trump criticized his then-opponent, President Joe Biden, for not visiting the site at the time.