Trump's Cabinet: A rundown of all the incoming president's picks
(TNND) — President-elect Donald Trump has his Cabinet picks in place.
The would-be heads of 15 executive departments now await Senate confirmation.
Here’s a look at Trump's selections to run the big federal agencies.
Department of Agriculture
Trump announced that Texan Brooke Rollins will oversee the country's agency that controls policies, regulations, and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition.
Rollins currently heads the Trump-allies America First Policy Institute "building a team of loyal Patriots."
She was the director of Trump's Office of American Innovation during his first term in the Oval Office.
What Trump said about Rollins:
“Brooke’s commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns is second to none.”
Department of Commerce
Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, the CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald, as commerce secretary.
Lutnick co-chairs the Trump transition team, handling vetting and advising Trump on his Cabinet nominees.
If he is confirmed by the Senate, his job would include overseeing economic development and growth.
The Commerce Department will also play a key role in implementing Trump's proposed tariffs on U.S. imports.
What Trump said about Lutnick:
“In his role as Co-Chair and the Trump-Vance Transition Team, Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.”
Department of Defense
Trump selected Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth co-hosted "Fox & Friends Weekend."
Hegseth is an Army combat veteran who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was decorated with two Bronze Stars, as well as a Combat Infantryman’s Badge for his service.
He unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Minnesota in 2012 before joining Fox News.
What Trump said about Hegseth:
“Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice - Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down."
Department of Education
Trump has tapped a former wrestling executive to lead the federal Department of Education, which he wants to close.
Linda McMahon is the co-founder and former chief executive officer of WWE. She’s a former administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration. And she serves as co-chair of Trump’s transition team.
McMahon has limited education experience, having served on the Connecticut State Board of Education and as a trustee for Sacred Heart University.
McMahon, 76, is married to Vince McMahon, the former chairman and CEO of WWE.
Linda McMahon helped grow WWE from a 13-person regional operation to a publicly traded global enterprise with more than 800 employees in offices worldwide.
What Trump said about McMahon:
“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort."
Department of Energy
Trump announced Chris Wright as his pick to head the Department of Energy.
Wright is an oil and gas industry executive and the CEO of Liberty Energy. This pick is most likely going to share Trump's thoughts on the climate change issue.
While Wright has written about the need for more fossil fuel production, he does not have any political experience prior to this role.
The CEO has been vocal about fracking, something that Trump emphasized throughout his campaign.
Department of Health and Human Services
Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be his secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy abandoned his Democratic bid for president last year in favor of an independent run before ultimately dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump.
HHS is the government's principal agency for protecting the health of Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves.
Many well-known agencies fall under the HHS umbrella, including the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Kennedy has drawn attention in the past with his anti-vaccine positions.
What Trump said about Kennedy:
“Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again."
Department of Homeland Security
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been picked by Trump to be the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump's decision to pick Noem seems to fall in line with his vow to crack down on illegal immigration after he added Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy and Tom Homan as border czar.
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for border protection, immigration, disaster response, and the U.S. Secret Service, among many other things.
Noem is currently serving her second term as governor after winning reelection in 2022.
What Trump said about Noem:
“Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times. She will work closely with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries.”
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Trump is nominating Scott Turner as the HUD secretary.
Turner is a former NFL player and former member of the Texas House of Representatives.
Turner was the director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term.
What Trump said about Turner:
During the first term, Turner helped lead “an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities. Those efforts, working together with former HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, were maximized by Scott’s guidance in overseeing 16 Federal Agencies which implemented more than 200 policy actions furthering Economic Development.”
Department of the Interior
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was picked to run the Department of the Interior, which manages the nation’s natural and cultural resources.
The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey and other bureaus fall under the Interior Department.
Burgum will also lead a newly created National Energy Council.
Trump said the National Energy Council “will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the Economy, and by focusing on INNOVATION over longstanding, but totally unnecessary, regulation.”
Department of Justice
Trump picked Pam Bondi to lead the DOJ after Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination for attorney general amid scrutiny involving a House Ethics Committee investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl, sex trafficking and illicit drug use.
Bondi is a former Florida attorney general.
Bondi is a longtime Trump ally and was one of his lawyers during his first impeachment trial when he was accused — but not convicted — of abusing his power as he tried to condition U.S. military assistance to Ukraine on that country investigating then-former Vice President Joe Biden.
Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. She's been a chair at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers.
What Trump said about Bondi:
“For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans – Not anymore. Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again.”
Department of Labor
Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer has been picked to lead the Labor Department.
The pick may provide an opening for unions to work with Republicans who have traditionally been opposed to organized labor and bolster Trump’s standing with working-class voters who have shifted from Democrats over the last several years.
Chavez-DeRemer, who lost reelection earlier this month, was one of only three Republicans to cosponsor a Democratic bill that would expand collective bargaining rights and overrule state-level right-to-work laws.
If confirmed to the post, she would oversee rulemaking that governs unions, workplaces and their safety standards and the occupational Safety and Health Administration, while also providing guidance on appointments to the National Labor Relations Board that oversees union organizing.
What Trump said about Chavez-DeRemer:
“Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America.”
Department of State
Trump’s pick for secretary of state, the country's top diplomat, is Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
Rubio, who is in his third term in the Senate, serves on the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select Committee on Intelligence.
He’s considered a “hawk,” or fairly aggressive on foreign policy, especially toward China.
The Trump administration might shift focus from Europe to Asia, given the incoming administration’s desires to contain China both economically and militarily.
Rubio fits a hard-line approach to China.
What Trump said about Rubio:
“Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom. He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries.”
Department of Transportation
Trump picked former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as his nominee to be transportation secretary.
The Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are among the agencies under DOT control.
Duffy is a former reality TV star who was one of Trump’s most visible defenders on cable news, according to The Associated Press.
Duffy also co-hosted Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line.”
What Trump said about Duffy:
“Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation.”
Department of the Treasury
Trump nominated Scott Bessent as treasury secretary.
From taxes to tariffs, hedge fund manager Bessent is poised to be Trump's right hand in ushering in economic policies Trump promised voters would make life more affordable, some of which economists warn will have the opposite effect.
Though Bessent is a vocal Trump ally now, from 2011 to 2015, he was the chief investment manager for George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist famous for championing liberal causes.
Bessent supports Trump's plans to embrace the cryptocurrency industry and eliminate taxes on tips. When it comes to his promise to implement across-the-board tariffs of at least 20%, which economists warn will raise prices on American consumers, Bessent has shown a more measured philosophy that became more aligned with Trump's as the election neared.
What Trump said about Bessent:
“Scott has long been a strong advocate of the America First Agenda. On the eve of our Great Country’s 250th Anniversary, he will help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States, as we fortify our position as the World’s leading Economy, Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurialism, Destination for Capital, while always, and without question, maintaining the U.S. Dollar as the Reserve Currency of the World.”
Department of Veterans Affairs
Former Georgia Rep. Doug Collins has been picked to lead the VA, a massive federal department that says it’s delivering record amounts of care and benefits to veterans. But the VA has faced questions and criticism over its transparency and budget management.
Collins has served as a lawyer and pastor. He was also an Air Force Reserve chaplain.
What Trump said about Collins:
“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.”
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The National News Desk’s Jamel Valencia, Alexx Altman-Devilbiss, Caitlyn Frolo, Taylor Fishman, Austin Denean and Ahtra Elnashar contributed to this report.