Who did Donald Trump pick for his cabinet, civil servants? Gaetz, Gabbard

(This story has been updated with new information.)

President-elect Donald Trump is slowly expanding his Cabinet for his second presidency, bringing in trusted allies to serve as advisers and Cabinet members.

In the last week since winning the election, Trump has already made picks for nearly a dozen of the positions, including deputy chief of staff for policy, the Environmental Protection Agency and more.

Here’s who Trump has picked so far. Follow to stay up to date on his cabinet choices USA Today political news online.

Are Trump’s nominations final?

No. According to the Constitutionthe president can nominate people for a position within the cabinet, but to do so he needs “the advice and consent of the Senate.” The Senate controls the rules and must vote on whether to approve each of the 24 positions. All 24 did not see a nomination, but some did.

Who has Trump nominated so far?

This list will be updated as nominations are received. The latest nominations are listed at the top.

State Secretary: Florida Senator Marco Rubio was nominated on Wednesday evening. In making the nomination, Trump described his former presidential competition as “a highly respected leader and a very powerful voice for freedom.” This position requires Senate approval.

Attorney General: Matt Gaetz has been tapped for what J.D. Vance described as the second-most important spot as attorney general. The Florida representative has already resigned from Congress after the nomination. His position requires Senate approval.

Director of National Intelligence: Former House Democrat turned Republican Tulsi Gabbard was nominated for intelligence director. She served Hawaii from 2013 to 2021 before running for president in 2020. This year, she finally became a Republican. Her position requires Senate approval.

Vice Chairman: In July, JD Vance was chosen as Donald Trump’s running mate. The two successfully ran together and won the popular vote and the Electoral College. Because Vance was confirmed and elected, he does not need Senate approval.

Chief of Staff: Called Trump Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff. Wiles was his senior campaign adviser during his third election campaign. Wiles becomes the first woman to hold the title. The Florida political consultant remains largely out of the spotlight but is credited with helping Trump’s political comeback. Does not require Senate confirmation.

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy: Stephan Molenaar has rejoined Trump’s team after several years serving with the returning president. Miller previously served as Trump’s senior adviser and director of speechwriting during Trump’s first term and is mainly credited with shaping Trump’s immigration policies. Doesn’t need confirmation.

Ambassador to the UN: Five-term Republican Representative Elise Stefanik has been nominated as ambassador to the UN. Stefanik is chairman of the Republican Conference in the House of Representatives and a former candidate for Trump’s running mate. This position requires Senate confirmation.

‘Border Tsar’: Trump has appointed Tom Homan overseeing deportation policies and aviation security. Homan was previously a Border Patrol agent for 34 years and served in the first Trump administration as ICE director. In the past, Homan has stirred controversy over strict enforcement of immigration laws, including the “zero tolerance” policy, which separated families of undocumented immigrants. No Senate confirmation is required.

EPA chief: Lee Zeldin was nominated by the President-elect to be Administrator of the United States Environmental Protective Agency (EPA). Zeldin was a congressman representing parts of Long Island, New York, and ran and lost the 2022 gubernatorial election. This position requires confirmation by the Senate.

National Security Advisor: Trump has mentioned Florida Representative Mike Waltz his national security advisor. Waltz has held civilian positions at the Pentagon, served on the House Armed Services Committee and supported Trump’s isolationist view of foreign relations. No Senate confirmation is required.

US Ambassador to Israel: Trump has nominated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as its American ambassador to Israel. The Baptist minister and former Fox News host ran for Republican presidential nomination twice, both unsuccessfully.

Director of the Central Intelligence Service: Trump’s former director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, received a nomination as director of the CIA. So was Ratcliffe a House member for Texas prior to Trump’s first term. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Minister of Defense: Fox News host and former member of the U.S. Army National Guard Piet Hegseth has been nominated as Minister of Defense. Outside of his ties to Fox News, he served in the U.S. Army National Guard and led veterans advocacy groups. The position does require Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Trump’s appointment of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem may place the conservative governor in a key role on immigration. As governor, Noem sent the South Dakota National Guard to the southern border in 2021. This position requires Senate confirmation.

White House Counsel: William McGinley was tapped by the president-elect to serve as White House counsel. McGinley is a partner at the Washington-based law firm Holtzman Vogel, who served as White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first presidency. No Senate confirmation required.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy work outside the cabinet

After Elon Musk floated the idea of a commission with the acronym “DOGE” to match the cryptocurrency he often promotes, Trump said in September he would create the “Department of Government Efficiency” where Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy would supervise.

“At the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his full and total support… I will establish a government efficiency commission charged with conducting a full financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms,” Trump said. time.

The announcement did not provide details on the size or budget of the venture beyond Musk and Ramaswamy’s leadership, but said work would be completed by July 4, 2026.

None of their positions require Senate confirmation.

Can Trump create a new department? How does DOGE work?

The commission will not function as part of the presidential cabinet. Instead, it is an external advisory committee that will, in theory, make recommendations to eliminate unnecessary expenditures.

This framework is similar to an advisory board created by President Ronald Reagan in 1982. The group of private sector experts was formed to recommend ways to eliminate inefficiency and waste, Reuters reports.