Meet the new Trump administration staffers who will shape key US policies

Trump on Thursday nominated former presidential nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

"I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health.

The president-elect previously vowed to let Kennedy "go wild on health."

Kennedy, 70, supports removing fluoride from water supplies and is a well-known vaccine sceptic. He has said that he wants to fire some nutritionists at the health agency and overhaul federal food regulations. His eclectic views occasionally cut across party lines — his desire to cut ultra-processed food from school lunches, for example, was an Obama-era priority as well.

Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed the president-elect in August, which sources said was an effort to secure a job in the administration. The two have since spearheaded a "Make America Healthy Again" campaign.

The head of HHS requires Senate approval and Kennedy could have an upward battle ahead of him, Semafor reports.

In the most surprising move so far, Trump has nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as Attorney General, the country's top law enforcement official and a crucial legal adviser to the president.

Gaetz resigned from Congress straight away to pursue the nomination.

Gaetz, 42, has previously been investigated by the Department of Justice, the very agency he's now been nominated to lead. The DOJ probed whether Gaetz violated sex-trafficking laws with a 17-year-old girl in 2019. Though the department didn't file charges, the House Ethics Committee picked back up the investigation. A far-right representative, Gaetz has repeatedly caused Republicans headaches on the House floor and led the charge to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023.

Gaetz is a Trump loyalist who drafted a resolution absolving the president-elect of any attempts at insurrection earlier this year.

"Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department," Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. Gaetz quickly responded with a post on X, saying, "It will be an honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General!"

Attorney General is a huge role – Vice President-elect JD Vance recently said that it's the second most important job in the administration, behind only the president. Trump has made bashing the DOJ a focal point of his campaign, repeatedly calling the agency and its criminal cases against him corrupt.

Other Republicans were blind-sided by Gaetz's nomination — their responses reportedly ranged from a snort of disbelief to, "Are you shittin' me?" The Senate will need to confirm Gaetz as Attorney General, and it is unclear whether he'll be able to get the necessary votes.

Trump has nominated Tulsi Gabbard, one-time Democratic presidential nominee turned MAGA loyalist, as Director of National Intelligence. A former congresswoman from Hawaii and army veteran, Gabbard is yet another example of the president-elect stocking his Cabinet with loyalists.

"As a former Candidate for the Democratic Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties - She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength," Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, 43, does not have direct experience working in the intelligence community, other than her time on House committees, the Associated Press reported. She supported Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 bid for the presidency and ran for the Democratic nomination herself in 2020. Despite previously criticizing Trump, she endorsed him this election cycle and is a member of his transition team.

Her nomination is likely to spark a confirmation fight, per CNN.

Trump has selected Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as his nominee for Secretary of State, elevating his onetime political rival and the current vice chair of the Intelligence Committee to one of the highest-profile roles in his upcoming administration.

"Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom," Trump said in a statement announcing the pick. "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."

With Rubio's selection, Trump is installing a hawk of China, Iran, and Venezuela to help shape the country's foreign policy during a tumultuous time throughout the world.

Trump in 2024 made inroads with Arab American voters in Michigan, a key swing state, over Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. The president-elect has indicated that he wants to see an end to the conflict in Gaza, but it is unclear what his plan would entail to do so.

Rubio, a former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and was easily reelected in 2016 and 2022.

In 2016, Rubio ran for president and clashed with Trump throughout the GOP primaries, with his then-rival pegging the senator as "Little Marco." But both men repaired their relationship afterwards, and during the 2024 presidential campaign, Rubio staunchly defended Trump against Democratic attacks.

Trump has picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

In her role, Noem will lead US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the US Secret Service — in sum, she will be in charge of a $60 billion budget, The Washington Post reported. She will play a crucial role in implementing Trump's hard-line immigration plans.

Noem, a former representative, has maintained a good relationship with Trump. During his first term, she once greeted him in her home state with a four-foot replica of Mount Rushmore — with his face added.

In a statement, Noem said she is "honored and humbled" to be selected as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

"I look forward to working with Border Czar Tom Homan to make America SAFE again," Noem said. "With Donald Trump, we will secure the Border, and restore safety to American communities so that families will again have the opportunity to pursue The American Dream."

The governor was floated as a potential running mate for Trump, but she invited controversy for including an anecdote in her book about shooting and killing her dog, Cricket.

Trump announced that Tesla CEO Elon Musk will lead the Department of Government Efficiency, alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - Essential to the "Save America" Movement," Trump said in a statement.

Musk has teased his role in a second Trump administration for months, previously describing his priorities as leading a "once-in-a-lifetime deregulation and reduction in the size of government."

Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate, will cohead the Department of Government Efficiency with Musk.

"I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans," Trump said in a statement. "Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending."

As a new department, the role of the Department of Government Efficiency is so far unclear. However, in his statement, Trump said the department "will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before."

Pete Hegseth, who has been an anchor at Fox News for eight years, was nominated by Trump to serve as Secretary of Defense.

The role will require a confirmation vote through the Republican-controlled Senate to be approved.

An Army veteran with two Bronze Stars as well as a Combat Infantryman's Badge, Hegseth served tours in Guantánamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has been a vocal supporter of Trump.

"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," Trump said in a statement announcing his appointment.

John Ratcliffe, the former director of national intelligence, has been appointed to head the Central Intelligence Agency under the second Trump administration.

As director of national intelligence, Ratcliffe declassified unverified Russian intelligence concerning Hillary Clinton and her presidential campaign, alleging the campaign approved a plan to "stir up a scandal" against Trump, drawing criticism that Ratcliffe used the intelligence community to help Trump politically, CNN reported at the time.

Trump praised Ratcliffe's loyalty in his announcement of the appointment, describing Ratcliffe as "a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public."

Prior to his stint as the Director of National Intelligence in Trump's first term, Ratcliffe served in Congress for over five years as the US Rep. for the 4th congressional district of Texas. During that time, he was a member of the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees and the Cybersecurity Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Trump tapped William Joseph McGinley to serve as his White House Counsel, a role which involves advising the president on judicial appointments, ethics and oversight considerations, and other legal matters concerning the administration.

McGinley previously served as White House Cabinet Secretary during Trump's first term and as General Counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

"Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement," Trump said in a statement announcing the appointment.

Trump has appointed real-estate developer Steven Witkoff as a special Middle East envoy.

Witkoff, who has known Trump for decades, has no formal diplomatic experience, although that did not stop Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner from leading the first Trump administration's efforts in the region. Kushner helped broker the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump also appointed Witkoff to cochair his inaugural committee alongside former US Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia.

Biden appointed several special envoys to the Middle East. In April, Biden appointed Lise Grande, the former head of the US Insitute for Peace, as Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to bring about peace, though he hasn't been clear on how he will reach a long-term cease-fire in Gaza that has so far eluded Biden.

Witkoff was playing golf with Trump at his West Palm Beach, Florida, golf club in September when a Secret Service officer fired at a would-be assassin, the second attempt on Trump's life.

Trump tapped former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as his selection to become the next ambassador to Israel.

"He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him," Trump said in a statement. "Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!"

Since the war in Gaza began more than a year ago, Huckabee has been a critic of the Biden administration's response. In an interview on Fox News at the end of 2023, Huckabee said Biden was participating in "nothing less than diplomatic schizophrenia."

Huckabee served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007. He's since pivoted more toward commentary, hosting his own talk show.

He ran for president in both 2008 and 2016.

In 2008, Huckabee won the Iowa GOP caucuses, but he was unable to sustain that momentum against the eventual nominee, then-Arizona Sen. John McCain, in later contests and eventually bowed out of the race.

When he ran again in 2016, Huckabee came in ninth place in Iowa, and suspended his campaign after that performance.

Trump has turned to Florida Rep. Michael Waltz to become his next national security advisor, bringing onboard an Army Green Beret veteran and staunch critic of the Biden administration's 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Waltz himself served in Afghanistan, as well as the Middle East and Africa.

"Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!" Trump said in a statement.

Waltz was first elected to the House in 2018, where he succeeded now-Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the conservative-leaning 6th Congressional District. He currently chairs the Armed Services subcommittee on readiness and also sits on the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees.

Trump nominated Rep. Elise Stefanik of upstate New York to fill the role of UN ambassador, in his first Cabinet pick. She is currently the fourth-ranking Republican in the House and was a loyal Trump surrogate during the campaign.

Stefanik, the 40-year-old chair of the House Republican Conference, cemented her status as a Trump ally during his 2019 impeachment hearings. She's a vocal supporter of Israel and took a leading role in the congressional hearings that led multiple top university presidents to resign over their handling of protests against the war in Gaza.

However, Stefanik lacks significant foreign policy and national security experience, Maggie Haberman wrote in the Times.

"Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter," Trump said in a statement confirming the pick.

In a statement to the New York Post, Stefanik said she was "deeply humbled" to accept the nomination.

Should the Senate confirm Stefanik, as it is likely to do, there will be a special election to fill her congressional seat.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, 44, has been chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

"We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water," Zeldin, a four-term Republican congressman from Long Island, wrote in a post on X.

In a separate statement, Trump said he'd known Zeldin for years and trusted he would "ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American business, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards."

During his time in the House, Zeldin repeatedly voted against clean water legislation and clean air legislation, the Times reported. Nonetheless, he had a more bipartisan record when it came to climate than many other Republicans.

Some individuals close to Trump's transition team were taken aback by the selection, as Zeldin hasn't demonstrated a lot of interest in the EPA.

In 2022, Zeldin ran for governor of New York and put up an impressive fight. He has remained close with President-elect Trump and appeared at Mar-a-Lago multiple times during the 2024 campaign.

Trump has promised to "drill, baby, drill" for fossil fuels, cancel some EPA rules, and roll back some of President Joe Biden's climate agenda.

Trump has tapped Thomas Homan to serve as his administration's "border czar." Homan, 62, was a senior immigration official during Trump's first term and served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Homan will oversee the nation's borders, as well as maritime and aviation security. A former police officer and border patrol agent, he has extensive experience in immigration enforcement.

Trump made immigration enforcement a centerpiece of his election campaign and has promised to pursue the country's largest mass deportation to date.

Last month, Homan told "60 Minutes" that worksite raids to target unauthorized employees would pick back up under a Trump presidency.

The president-elect announced Homan's role on Truth Social: "I've known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders," he wrote.

Homan's role does not need Senate confirmation.

Susie Wiles is set to make history as the country's first female chief of staff to a president. A veteran Florida strategist who led Trump's political operation for nearly four years, Wiles is seen as loyal and supremely capable.

A grandmother who keeps a relatively low public profile, Wiles is Trump's only campaign manager to have lasted an entire election cycle, The New York Times reported. Not only did she help the president-elect expand his base and run a more professional campaign, she also assisted lawyers on his various criminal and civil cases. She has a proven ability to manage Trump's unpredictable personality, which will be crucial as she takes on what some consider the second-most-powerful job in Washington, behind the presidency itself.

"Susie is tough, smart, innovative and is universally admired and respected," Trump said when announcing her role.

Chris LaCivita, Trump's co-campaign manager, described her as "loyal and honest as the day is long."

Come January, Wiles will likely have to balance the demands of various big personalities, from Elon Musk to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump tore through four chiefs of staff during his first term, with one of them, Gen. John Kelly, describing it as the worst job he's ever had.

More traditional Republicans and MAGA diehards alike seem to think that Wiles, with her political sharpness and close ties to the Trump family, will be a more durable choice.

Trump chose Doug Collins, a Republican rom Georgia who served in the US House from 2013 to 2021, to serve as the US secretary for veterans affairs.

Collins is a veteran, previously serving in the Navy and then the Air Force reserve following September 11th. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and has served as a chaplain in the Navy and US Air Force Reserve.

"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday.

Trump selected Todd Blanche, his defense lawyer, to serve as deputy attorney general in the Department of Justice.

"Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long," Trump wrote Thursday in an announcement on Truth Social.

Blanche, a former chief federal prosecutor in New York, represented Trump in multiple indictments, including leading his defense in the hush-money trial concerning Stormy Daniels earlier this year. Trump was convicted on all 34 counts brought in the case.

Trump also said he was selecting Emil Bove, another of his defense attorneys, to serve as principal associate deputy attorney general. Bove also represented Trump in the hush-money case.

"Emil is a tough and strong attorney, who will be a crucial part of the Justice Department, rooting out corruption and crime," Trump said.

Trump selected another of his lawyers, Dean John Sauer, to serve as solicitor general of the US. Sauer previously served as solicitor general of Missouri and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Sauer was Trump's lead counsel in his case before the Supreme Court arguing for presidential immunity, which resulted in a favorable decision for the former president.

"John is a deeply accomplished, masterful appellate attorney," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Thursday, adding he "will be a great Champion for us as we Make America Great Again!"

Trump also tapped Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota for Secretary of the Interior.

Trump indicated his intention to nominate Burgum while attending a gala for the America First Policy Institute on Thursday. Burgum was also in attendance.

"I won't tell you his name, it might be something like Burgum. Burgum," Trump told gala attendees.

"Actually he's going to head the Department of Interior, and he's going to be fantastic," the president-elect said.

If confirmed, Burgum will lead the Interior Department, which manages over 500 million acres of federal and tribal land.

"We're going to do things with energy and with land, Interior, that is going to be incredible," Trump said on Thursday.

Trump had reportedly considered Burgum as a potential running mate, alongside other candidates like Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Trump eventually picked Vance for his VP, and has since nominated Rubio for Secretary of State.

In July, Burgum told CNN's Kaitlan Collins that Trump had referred to him as "Mr. Secretary" while notifying him that he wasn't selected as the Republican vice presidential candidate.

Like Trump, Burgum was a businessman before entering politics. In 2001, he sold his software company, Great Plains Software, to Microsoft for over $1 billion.

Burgum was elected governor of North Dakota in 2016, and his second term is slated to end in December. Burgum said in January that he would not seek a third term as governor.