Trump’s Cabinet: Here’s Who He’s Picked For Top Jobs—As Stephen Miller Chosen For White House Role

Topline

President-elect Donald Trump has made a flurry of appointments to fill top posts in his administration in the days since he won the election, tapping some of his staunchest defenders and loyalists for roles as others are jockeying for the remaining cabinet positions.

Key Facts

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Deputy Chief Of Staff For Policy: Stephen Miller

Trump is expected to announce Stephen Miller for the White House position in the coming days, multiple outlets reported Monday. Miller was a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration and one of the architects of some of his most controversial immigration policies, including his family separation program.

Border Czar: Tom Homan

Trump appointed his former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan to the role, he announced Monday, as Trump plans a mass deportation of undocumented migrants during his second term.

Un Ambassador: Elise Stefanik

Trump announced Sunday he’d nominate GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., for the role, and she told the New York Post she had accepted the offer.

Chief Of Staff: Susie Wiles

Trump named his campaign co-manager Susie Wiles chief of staff two days after his election win, marking his first major administrative pick. Wiles will be the first woman to hold the position.

Attorney General

Trump is expected to overhaul the Department of Justice and staff it with political loyalists as the agency became a top target for Trump on the campaign trail. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, former administration lawyer Mark Paoletta and former Trump Director of National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe are some of the names commonly floated for AG in media reports. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed the DOJ’s classified documents case against Trump, is also on a proposed personnel roster Trump’s team has circulated, ABC News reported last month, citing unnamed sources. Speculation has swirled that Trump adviser, Kash Patel, could be appointed AG. Trump said previously that Patel would help craft a “blueprint” for his next administration and lauded his book “Government Gangsters” as a “roadmap to end the Deep State’s reign.”

Treasury Secretary

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., former ambassador to Japan under Trump, is on the speculative short list for this role, along with Trump’s transition team co-chair, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, former Trump U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, and billionaires Scott Bessent and John Paulson. The latter two are at the top of Trump’s list, Reuters reported Friday, citing unnamed sources. Bessent met with Trump Friday at Mar-A-Lago, according to Reuters and Bloomberg, though Bloomberg cited people familiar with the process who said the meeting was not a job interview. Trump is expected to narrow his list of candidates by the end of the week, and he is leaning toward someone with Wall Street experience, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing anonymous sources.

Secretary Of State

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who campaigned for Trump this year after sparring with him in 2016, is interested in the job, the Miami Herald reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources. Ric Grenell—former U.S. ambassador to Germany who became the first openly gay Cabinet secretary in U.S. history when he was appointed acting director of national intelligence—and Hagerty, are other potential contenders, multiple outlets have speculated.

Defense Secretary

Trump’s team has contacted House Armed Services Chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala. about the role, Fox News reported Friday, citing a source familiar with the discussions. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., is also widely considered to be a top candidate.

Will Elon Musk, Rfk Jr. And Vivek Ramasamy Serve In Trump Administration?

Trump has indicated vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would play a prominent role in shaping health policy in his administration, telling an audience in Arizona earlier this month Kennedy could do “anything he wants” and that he would “work on health and women’s health.” Trump also recently expressed openness to Kennedy’s controversial proposal to remove fluoride from public water. Trump has said former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will play a role in his second administration, and he has proposed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to lead a new “government efficiency commission.”

Tangent

Trump ruled out former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as possible picks for his second administration in a Truth Social post over the weekend. Pompeo was considered a potential pick for defense secretary.

Key Background

Trump is shaping his second-term agenda with the help of several right-wing groups, his closest allies and billionaire backers. Musk, who has been spotted on numerous occasions at Mar-A-Lago since his election, is among those who appear to be influencing Trump’s policy and personnel decisions. The right-wing think tank America First Policy Institute is reportedly the primary driver of Trump’s transition plans and has been crafting possible executive actions for Trump once he takes office. The organization is chaired by former Trump Small Business Administration leader Linda McMahon and led by former Trump Domestic Policy Counsel Director Brook Rollins.

Further Reading

What We Know About Trump’s Potential Cabinet—With RFK Jr. And Elon Musk Among The Candidates (Forbes)

Who Will Help Shape Trump’s Policy Agenda? Here Are The Key Groups And Players (Forbes)

Stephen Miller Will Reportedly Lead Trump’s Policy Agenda—Here’s Who Else Could Help Him (Forbes)