Content warning: mentions of sexual assault involving a minor.
President-elect Donald Trump has started to unveil endorsements for his cabinet as he prepares to return to the White House. The Cabinet, consisting of 15 executive department heads, requires Senate confirmation. Trump has focused on filling the cabinet with people he considers loyal and aims to announce all of his confirmed picks by Thanksgiving.
Here are his current nominations:
- Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
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U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida has been nominated for Secretary of State. If confirmed, Rubio would be the first Latino to hold this position. He has previously supported aid for Ukraine and advocated for a stronger U.S. presence worldwide.
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert f. Kennedy jr.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the 2024 independent presidential candidate, is known for his controversial stance against vaccinations. His “Make America Healthy Again” agenda targets chronic disease and childhood illness. He recently claimed the Trump administration would push to remove fluoride from drinking water, which is known to prevent tooth decay.
- Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth
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Former Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth has military experience, having served in the U.S. Army National Guard and led veteran advocacy groups.
- Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon
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Linda McMahon is a co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment and head of the Small Business Administration. Trump plans to close the department and redistribute most services to state-level education officials. Although she’s not known for her work on education policy or practice, she did serve two years on the Connecticut State Board of Education.
- Secretary of the Interior: Doug Burgum
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North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a 68-year-old wealthy software executive, previously ran as the Republican presidential nominee. Burgum has been vocal about fossil fuels and energy issues, wanting to increase fossil fuel development.
- Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick
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Howard Lutnick is the co-chair of Trump’s transition team and the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, an investment firm. He would lead in implementing the president’s trade and economic agenda.
- Secretary of Transportation: Sean Duffy
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Sean Duffy, a Fox Business Host and former congressman, was a relative TV star in the 1990s until he transitioned to Congress in 2010. He will be a key player in the relationship between the government and tech billionaire Elon Musk, whom Trump has tasked with leading a panel to slash the federal government.
- Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright
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Oil industry executive Chris Wright, CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy and 2024 campaign donor to the Department of Energy, has expressed skepticism about climate change science.
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins
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Doug Collins, a congressman in Georgia’s 9th district, was a United States Air Force Reserve Command chaplain and served during the Iraq War in 2008. He plans to roll back climate change policies and clean energy spending from Biden’s term in office.
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been selected by Trump as his conservative ally to lead his efforts to crack down on the number of immigrants in the country.
- Attorney general
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Trump picked former Rep. Matt Gaetz from Florida to be attorney general. However, he withdrew his nomination on Nov. 21 after allegations of sexual misconduct. Gaetz has been under investigation by the Department of Justice for allegations of statutory rape of a 17-year-old girl by paying her for sex and to travel with him across state lines.
Following Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump announced Pam Bondi, the Attorney General of Florida, as the next Attorney General. Bondi was a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, and as Florida’s Attorney General, she focused on stopping drug trafficking.
As of Nov. 20, Trump has not yet announced nominations for the offices of Secretary of Agriculture, Labor, Treasury, or Housing and Urban Development.