Donald Trump shakes hands with Susie Wiles, Trump campaign co-chair, at an election results watch party on Nov. 6 in West Palm Beach, Fla., alongside Eric Trump, Laura Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump.Ted Shaffrey/The Associated Press
Donald Trump has begun the process of choosing a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration officials following his presidential election victory.
Here are the early picks and top contenders for some of the key posts overseeing defence, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, immigration and economic policy-making. Some are in contention for a range of posts.
Susie Wiles, chief of staff
Trump supporters hope new chief of staff Susie Wiles will instill a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Donald Trump’s first four-year term.Brian Snyder/Reuters
Trump on Thursday announced that Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be his White House chief of staff. While the specifics of her political views are somewhat unclear, Wiles, 67, is credited with running a successful and efficient campaign. Supporters hope she will instill a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Trump’s first four-year term, when he cycled through a number of chiefs of staff.
Tom Homan, ‘border czar’
New 'border czar' Tom Homan says he will prioritize deporting immigrants in the U.S. illegally who posed safety and security threats as well as those working at job sites.John Bazemore/The Associated Press
Trump announced on Sunday night that Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from his first administration, will be in charge of the country’s borders.
Trump made cracking down on people in the country illegally a central element of his campaign, promising mass deportations.
Homan said on Monday he would prioritize deporting immigrants in the U.S. illegally who posed safety and security threats as well as those working at job sites.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, said Homan will be “in charge of our nation’s borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,” including the deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
Elise Stefanik, UN ambassador
Donald Trump's new ambassador to the UN Elise Stefanik will arrive at the UN after bold promises by Mr. Trump to end the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s war in Gaza.Tom Williams/Reuters
Trump announced on Monday that Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman and staunch Trump supporter, would be his ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik, 40, a U.S. representative from New York State and House Republican conference chair, took a leadership position in the House of Representatives in 2021 when she was elected to replace then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted for criticizing Trump’s false claims of election fraud.
“I am honoured to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump said in a statement. “Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter.” Stefanik will arrive at the UN after bold promises by Trump to end the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s war in Gaza.
Lee Zeldin, EPA administrator
New EPA administrator Lee Zeldin has been a staunch ally of Donald Trump and served in Congress from 2015 to 2023.YUKI IWAMURA/AFP/Getty Images
Trump announced on Monday he had appointed former congressman Lee Zeldin of New York State as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and Zeldin said he had accepted the role.
Zeldin, 44, a staunch Trump ally, served in Congress from 2015 to 2023. In 2022 he lost the New York governor’s race to Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul. Trump has promised to overhaul U.S. energy policy, with the aim of maximizing the country’s already record-high oil and gas production by rolling back regulations and speeding up permitting.
As head of the EPA, Zeldin will play a key role in implementing those policies.
Mike Waltz, national security adviser
Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., speaks outside the hush money criminal case of former president Donald Trump in New York.Ted Shaffrey/The Associated Press
Trump on Tuesday said he had picked for national security adviser Republican U.S. Representative Mike Waltz, a retired Army Green Beret who has been a leading critic of China.
Waltz, a 50-year-old Trump loyalist who also served in the National Guard as a colonel, has criticized Chinese activity in the Asia-Pacific and has voiced the need for the U.S. to be ready for a potential conflict in the region.
The national security adviser is a powerful role, which does not require Senate confirmation. Waltz will be responsible for briefing Trump on key national security issues and coordinating with different agencies.
While slamming the Biden administration for a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Waltz has publicly praised Trump’s foreign policy views.
Kristi Noem, homeland security secretary
Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15Mike Segar/Reuters
Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to serve as the next homeland security secretary, two sources familiar with the decision said on Tuesday.
Noem, 52, once seen as a possible running mate for Trump, is currently serving her second four-year term as South Dakota’s governor. She rose to national prominence after refusing to impose a statewide mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for everything from border protection and immigration to disaster response and the U.S. Secret Service.
Both Trump’s campaign and Noem’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Mike Huckabee, ambassador to Israel
Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee shake hands after taking part in a roundtable discussion hosted by Building America's Future in Drexel Hill, Penn., on Oct. 29.CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images
Trump said on Tuesday he was nominating former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, tapping a staunchly pro-Israel conservative whose choice could signal future U.S. policy toward conflicts in the Middle East.
An evangelical Christian, Huckabee has been a vocal supporter of Israel throughout his political career and a longtime defender of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. A former Republican presidential hopeful, Huckabee hosted a weekly Fox News TV show for six years ending in 2015.
Evangelicals are an overwhelmingly pro-Israel part of Trump’s base and voted heavily in favour of him in the Nov. 5 election.
Trump’s announcement of the nomination drew immediate praise from senior Israeli officials but was likely to be panned by Palestinians, whose nationalist cause Huckabee has denigrated in the past.
John Ratcliffe, CIA director
Director of Natiional Intelligence John Ratcliffe in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Dec. 3, 2020.Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had picked former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Ratcliffe, a close ally of Trump, served as director of national intelligence at the end of his first term.
Ratcliffe was confirmed as the nation’s top spy in May 2020, eight months before Trump left office. A former member of the House of Representatives and U.S. attorney for Texas, he received no support from Senate Democrats during his confirmation.
Pete Hegseth, defence secretary
Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, arrives at Trump Tower, on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in 2016. President-elect Donald Trump chose Hegseth to be his next defence secretary, elevating a television ally to run the Pentagon and lead 1.3 million active-duty troops.SAM HODGSON/The New York Times News Service
Trump said Tuesday that he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary.
Hegseth deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Minnesota in 2012 before joining Fox News.
“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” Trump said in a statement. “Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our `Peace through Strength’ policy.”
Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Department of Government Efficiency
Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks as Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump reacts during a rally at the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump, in Butler, Penn., on Oct. 5, 2024.Carlos Barria/Reuters
Trump said on Tuesday Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk and Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” Trump said in a statement.
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of policy
Stephen Miller speaks at a rally for Donald Trump at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich., on Oct. 26. He is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House.DREW ANGERER/AFP/Getty Images
Trump is expected to name long-time adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.
Miller is one of Trump’s longest-serving aides, dating back to his first campaign for the White House. He was a senior adviser in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, including Trump’s move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.
Miller has also helped craft many of Trump’s hard-line speeches, and was often the public face of those policies during Trump’s first term in office and during his campaigns.
Marco Rubio, secretary of state
Florida Senator Marco Rubio has long been involved in foreign affairs in the Senate, particularly as it relates to Latin America, and he has solid relationships throughout the Republican party.JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
Trump said on Wednesday he is nominating Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a senior member of both the foreign relations and intelligence committees, to be secretary of state.
Rubio, 53, is known as a China hawk, outspoken critic of Cuba’s Communist government and strong backer of Israel. He has in the past advocated for a more assertive U.S. foreign policy with respect to America’s geopolitical foes, although more recently his views have aligned more closely with those of Trump’s more “America First” approach to foreign policy.
In April, he was one of 15 Republican senators to vote against a big military aid package to help Ukraine resist Russia and support other U.S. partners, including Israel. Trump has been critical of Democratic President Joe Biden’s continuing military assistance for Ukraine as it fights Russia invaders.
On the Gaza war, like Trump, Rubio has been staunchly behind Israel, calling Hamas a terrorist organization that must be eliminated and saying America’s role is to resupply Israel with the military materials needed to finish the job.
Matt Gaetz, attorney general
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Lee's Family Forum, on Oct. 31, in Henderson, Nev.Evan Vucci/The Associated Press
Trump on Wednesday named firebrand Republican U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz to be his nominee for attorney general, as he moves swiftly to assemble a Cabinet.
Trump’s inner circle has described the attorney general as the most important member of the administration after Trump himself, key to his plans to carry out mass deportations, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and seek retribution against those who prosecuted him over the past four years.
During his first term, Trump was infuriated by what he called an obstructive Justice Department, including attorneys general Jeff Sessions, who allowed a probe into alleged contacts between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia, and Bill Barr, who publicly refuted his false claims his 2020 election loss was the result of fraud.
Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard speaks before Republican presidential nominee former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, on Oct. 27, in New York.Alex Brandon/The Associated Press
Trump said on Wednesday he has chosen Tulsi Gabbard, a 43-year-old former Democratic representative and critic of the Biden administration, as his director of national intelligence.
Gabbard, who left the Democratic party in 2022 to become an independent and was considered a possible candidate to become Trump’s running mate, would take over from Avril Haines as the top official in the U.S. intelligence community after the Republican president-elect starts his second term in January.
Gabbard has little direct experience with intelligence work and had not been widely expected to be tapped for the post.
She was deployed in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 as a major in the Hawaii National Guard and is now a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Scott Bessent, potential treasury secretary
Bessent, a key economic adviser to Trump, is widely seen as a top candidate for treasury secretary. A longtime hedge fund investor who taught at Yale University for several years, Bessent has a warm relationship with the president-elect.
While Bessent has long favoured the laissez-faire policies that were popular in the pre-Trump Republican Party, he has also spoken highly of Trump’s use of tariffs as a negotiating tool. He has praised the president-elect’s economic philosophy, which rests on a skepticism of both regulations and international trade.
Robert Lighthizer, potential treasury secretary
A loyalist who served as Trump’s U.S. trade representative for essentially the then-president’s entire term, Lighthizer will almost certainly be invited back. Though Bessent and Paulson likely have a better shot at becoming treasury secretary, Lighthizer has an outside chance, and he might be able to reprise his old role if he’s interested. Like Trump, Lighthizer is a trade skeptic and a firm believer in tariffs. He was one of the leading figures in Trump’s trade war with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada during Trump’s first term.
Howard Lutnick, potential treasury secretary
The co-chair of Trump’s transition effort and the longtime chief executive of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick is in the running for treasury secretary.
A bombastic New Yorker like Trump, Lutnick has uniformly praised the president-elect’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs.
He has at times given elaborate, unvarnished opinions about what policies will be enacted in Trump’s second term. Some Trump allies had privately complained that he too often presented himself as speaking on behalf of the campaign.
Linda McMahon, potential commerce secretary
Linda McMahon is the co-founder and former chief executive of the professional wrestling franchise WWE.Mike Segar/Reuters
Professional wrestling magnate and former Small Business Administration director Linda McMahon is seen as the front-runner to lead Trump’s Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on the plans said. McMahon is a major donor and was an early supporter of the Republican president-elect when he first ran for the White House almost a decade ago. This time, Trump tapped her to co-lead a transition team formed to help vet personnel and draft policy ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE. She later served as director of the Small Business Administration, resigning in 2019, and went on to lead a pro-Trump political action committee that supported his 2020 re-election bid.
Kash Patel, potential candidate for national security posts
During Donald Trump’s first term, former Republican House staffer Kash Patel drew animosity from some more experienced national security officials, who saw him as volatile and too eager to please the then-president.Go Nakamura/Reuters
A former Republican House staffer who served in various high-ranking staff roles in the defence and intelligence communities during Trump’s first term, Patel frequently appeared on the campaign trail to rally support for the candidate.
Some Trump allies would like to see Patel, considered the ultimate Trump loyalist, appointed CIA director. Any position requiring Senate confirmation may be a challenge, however.
Patel has leaned into controversy throughout his career. In an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon last year, he promised to “come after” politicians and journalists perceived to be enemies of Trump.
During the Trump’s first term, Patel drew animosity from some more experienced national security officials, who saw him as volatile and too eager to please the then-president.