United States President-elect Donald Trump has started selecting his cabinet and other senior administration officials after his election victory on November 5.
Trump must appoint about 4,000 officials, including the heads of the executive departments that make up his cabinet.
The US cabinet consists of 15 federal agencies, each led by an appointed secretary. Along with the vice president, these officials advise the president and implement policies.
These appointments require Senate confirmation, and typically, these votes occur shortly after the president’s inauguration, which will take place on January 20.
Here’s a list of whom Trump has named or is expected to name:
Marco Rubio – secretary of state (named)
Trump named Florida Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state, making him the first Latino in the role. The 53-year-old Rubio, once a hawk on foreign policy, has shifted some views to align with Trump’s more noninterventionist stance, particularly regarding China, Iran and Cuba.
Pete Hegseth – secretary of defence (named)
Trump announced on Tuesday that he has selected 44-year-old Pete Hegseth, a Fox News commentator and military veteran, as his pick for defence secretary. Hegseth, known for opposing “woke” military policies, could fulfil Trump’s promise to remove military leaders he views as promoting progressive ideals, potentially clashing with air force General CQ Brown, whom Hegseth has criticised for supporting “left-wing” positions.
Matt Gaetz – attorney general (named)
Former US Representative Matt Gaetz, 42, is a controversial choice for attorney general. Hailing from Trump’s adopted state of Florida, Gaetz has been an ardent defender of the president-elect for years, but he has made enemies within the Republican Party by attacking colleagues, notably former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Gaetz was also investigated federally for sex trafficking, but the case eventually concluded in 2023 with no charges brought forward.
Kristi Noem – secretary of homeland security (named)
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, 52, has been selected by Trump to serve as homeland security secretary. Propelled to nationwide prominence for refusing a statewide mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem is also known for her strong stance on border security. She was the first governor to send National Guard troops to assist Texas at the southern border. Noem will work alongside Trump’s “border czar” Tom Homan to enhance US security.
Doug Burgum – secretary of the interior (named)
The outgoing governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgum, 68, initially ran in the 2024 presidential election as a Republican rival to President-elect Trump. A billionaire venture capitalist and tech entrepreneur, Burgum invested his own money in the campaign, offering voters gift cards in exchange for small-money donations. But in December 2023, Burgum suspended his bid – and joined Trump’s team as a campaign surrogate. Hailing from an oil-rich state, Burgum is expected to help Trump open public lands to greater drilling, despite opposition from Indigenous groups and environmental advocates.
Robert F Kennedy Jr – health and human services secretary (named)
Fulfilling a campaign promise, Trump named vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr, 70, to head the federal agency charged with ensuring the health of Americans. The scion of a political dynasty, Kennedy initially ran in the 2024 presidential race as a Democrat, before switching his party identification to independent. He later endorsed Trump, despite outcry from his family. Kennedy is a controversial pick for this post, having shared conspiracy theories about vaccines, fluoride and other health issues.
Doug Collins – secretary of veterans affairs (named)
A former US representative for the southern state of Georgia, Doug Collins has been out of public office since his term expired in 2021. However, during his time in Congress, Collins made a name for himself as a vocal Trump defender. During the president-elect’s first impeachment hearing in 2019, Collins called the proceedings a “sham”. Collins has served as a chaplain in the US navy and air force, and was deployed for five months during the US war in Iraq.
Chris Wright – secretary of energy (named)
As CEO of Liberty Energy, Chris Wright is set to champion the controversial oil extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” under the incoming Trump administration. Like Trump, Wright is also a climate change sceptic, posting on the job platform LinkedIn last year that he felt “there is no climate crisis”. Though he has no previous experience in public office, Wright is a mainstay on conservative media outlets like Fox News. In addition to being picked as secretary of energy, Wright is also set to serve on a newly formed Council of National Energy under Trump.
Linda McMahon – secretary of commerce (expected)
Linda McMahon, 76, former Small Business Administration (SBA) director and World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder, is considered the frontrunner to lead Trump’s Department of Commerce. A major donor and early supporter of Trump, she co-led his pre-2024 election transition team. McMahon served as SBA director until 2019 and later headed a pro-Trump political action committee supporting his unsuccessful 2020 re-election bid.
Scott Bessent, Robert Lighthizer and Howard Lutnick are also being considered as potential candidates for treasury secretary.
Other prominent noncabinet positions named by Trump in recent days include:
- Tulsi Gabbard – Director of national intelligence
- Susie Wiles – White House chief of staff
- Tom Homan – “border czar”
- Elise Stefanik – United Nations ambassador
- Mike Huckabee – Ambassador to Israel
- Lee Zeldin – Environmental Protection Agency administrator
- Mike Waltz – national security adviser
- Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy – heads of a new Department of Government Efficiency
- John Ratcliffe – Central Intelligence Agency director
- Dan Scavino – Deputy chief of staff
- William McGinley – White House counsel
- Steven Witkoff – special envoy to the Middle East
- Karoline Leavitt – White House press secretary
What does each of the 15 executive departments do?
After the president and vice president, the cabinet members are the highest-ranking officials in the executive branch of the US government, responsible for advising the president and overseeing their respective federal agencies.
Here are their roles listed in order of succession to the presidency:
- Secretary of state – oversees US foreign relations, diplomacy and international issues. This position is often considered the most senior cabinet position.
- Secretary of the Treasury – manages US financial and economic policy, federal revenue and currency.
- Secretary of defence – oversees the military and national defence and is central to national security and military strategy.
- Attorney general (Department of Justice) – is responsible for law enforcement, overseeing federal legal matters and ensuring the rule of law.
- Secretary of the interior – is responsible for managing and conserving federal land and natural resources and overseeing agencies like the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
- Secretary of agriculture – focuses on farming, food policy and rural development.
- Secretary of commerce – oversees business, trade, economic growth and the census.
- Secretary of labour – manages workforce-related issues, including wages, working conditions and labour laws.
- Secretary of health and human services – manages public health, welfare and social services, including agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
- Secretary of housing and urban development – oversees housing programmes and urban development policy.
- Secretary of transportation – is responsible for federal transportation policy, including highways, railroads and air travel.
- Secretary of energy – manages energy policy, nuclear security and technological innovation in energy.
- Secretary of education – oversees public education policy, including federal student aid programmes and education standards.
- Secretary of veterans affairs – manages services and benefits for military veterans.
- Secretary of homeland security – is responsible for national security, emergency management and immigration policies.
Additionally, other positions like the White House chief of staff, director of national intelligence and the UN ambassador are also considered top-level positions even though they are not heads of the executive departments.
Who are the outgoing secretaries?
President Joe Biden’s outgoing cabinet will now be expected to go through a period of transition in which they will help with the handover of responsibilities, brief incoming officials and ensure continuity of government operations until Trump’s administration takes full control on January 20.
