One of many first duties confronted by an incoming president is staffing the Cupboard, the individuals who collectively are a president’s high advisers and the nation’s highest officers. Many of the members of this group have to be confirmed by the Senate with a purpose to serve within the roles chosen for them by the president.
Cupboard secretaries run the federal authorities’s departments, serving as their public faces whereas overseeing implementation of the president’s insurance policies. In these roles, they supply counsel to the president on issues associated to the departments they handle.
President-elect Donald Trump has introduced who he’ll nominate for a lot of of those high jobs, together with secretary of state, however others who will substitute President Biden’s Cupboard seem up for grabs.
Lawyer normal
Trump introduced on Nov. 13 that he’d nominate former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be legal professional normal, however now he’ll have to pick one other candidate. Eight days later, Gaetz withdrew from consideration amid a Home Ethics Committee investigation into sexual misconduct and obstruction allegations in opposition to him.
The function is at present held by Merrick Garland, a former federal choose and prosecutor. The legal professional normal is the nation’s high cop, overseeing the Division of Justice, a sprawling company of 115,000 prosecutors, investigators, civil attorneys and different employees.
What does the legal professional normal do?
The legal professional normal offers authorized recommendation and opinions to the president, in addition to to the heads of different federal businesses, and represents the USA in authorized issues usually. The legal professional normal additionally supervises regulation enforcement businesses that fall underneath the Justice Division’s umbrella, together with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, often called the ATF.
Trump criticized the FBI for years, courting again to his first run for president, when the company investigated alleged hyperlinks between his associates and Russian officers, and after he left workplace, the FBI searched his residence in Florida for labeled information he stored after his first time period.
The legal professional normal additionally has the facility to nominate particular counsels, legal professionals who examine — and prosecute — circumstances through which the Justice Division might have conflicts of curiosity. Trump has raged in opposition to the particular counsels who investigated him throughout and after his first time period in workplace.
Agriculture secretary
Trump has not but introduced who he’ll nominate for agriculture secretary. The present secretary of agriculture is Tom Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa who held this Cupboard function twice, throughout Mr. Biden’s administration, in addition to underneath former President Barack Obama.
What does the agriculture secretary do?
As the pinnacle of the Agriculture Division, the agriculture secretary oversees an company devoted to farming and livestock meals manufacturing, agricultural commerce and manufacturing, meals security and the safety of pure assets. The U.S. Forest Service is the division’s largest company, accountable for 193 million acres of nationwide forests and grasslands.
Commerce secretary
Trump is anticipated to appoint billionaire Howard Lutnick to be commerce secretary. Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, has additionally served as co-chair for the Trump transition and has been a significant donor to his marketing campaign. The present Secretary of Commerce is Gina Raimondo, a former governor of Rhode Island.
What does the commerce secretary do?
Because the principal adviser to the president on issues referring to commerce, the secretary oversees the Commerce Division, an company with greater than 46,000 workers dedicated to driving financial growth, job development and blocking commerce practices by different counties deemed dangerous to the U.S.
Protection secretary
Fox Information host and Military veteran Pete Hegseth is Trump’s option to be protection secretary. Hegseth is considered as a shock decide for the function, which generally goes to folks with expertise as senior navy officers.
What does the protection secretary do?
If confirmed, Hegseth would lead 1.3 million active-duty service members, together with troopers, sailors, airmen and marines, amongst a complete of three.4 million personnel worldwide. Hegseth would even be accountable for overseeing any use of the navy on home soil. Trump mentioned as just lately as Monday that he plans to declare a nationwide emergency and use the navy to help a plan to conduct mass deportations of immigrants deemed to be within the nation illegally.
The secretary of protection is second solely to the president within the navy’s chain of command. Hegseth would handle the Pentagon, craft nationwide protection coverage, and coordinate intelligence — through the Protection Intelligence Company — with the Nationwide Safety Council.
Secretary of training
Trump plans to appoint Linda McMahon to be training secretary. The previous WWE government served in his first administration as administrator of the Small Enterprise Administration. Presently, Miguel Cardona is training secretary. He was previously a trainer and commissioner of the Connecticut State Division of Schooling.
What does the training secretary do?
The training secretary oversees the Schooling Division, the smallest of all Cupboard businesses. Its 4,400 workers are accountable for distribution of federal monetary support for training, accumulating and disseminating knowledge and analysis associated to varsities, and prohibiting discrimination in colleges. Trump has talked about shutting down the division and leaving its tasks to be carried out by states.
Power secretary
Trump chosen Chris Wright, a marketing campaign donor and fossil gasoline government, to function power secretary. Wright is the CEO of Denver-based Liberty Power, and an advocate of oil and fuel growth. The present power secretary is Jennifer Granholm, a former governor of Michigan.
What does the power secretary do?
The power secretary oversees nationwide power manufacturing and coverage, nuclear growth — together with the navy’s nuclear weapons and reactor packages — and power conservation packages.
Well being and human providers secretary
Trump says he’ll nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to guide the Division of Well being and Human Companies. The lawyer and distinguished vaccine skeptic will substitute Xavier Becerra, a former California legal professional normal. Trump mentioned throughout his presidential marketing campaign that he’d let Kennedy “go wild” on points referring to well being, meals and drugs.
Kennedy has unfold deceptive claims about vaccine security and is a pacesetter within the motion in opposition to vaccine mandates. He has additionally urged eradicating fluoride from ingesting water.
What does the well being and human providers secretary do?
If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would oversee a sprawling 80,000 worker company that features the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, Nationwide Institutes of Well being, Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Companies, the Meals and Drug Administration and the Indian Well being Service. The human providers portion of the HHS portfolio consists of the Administration for Youngsters and Households and its Workplace of Refugee Resettlement, which is charged with caring for undocumented and unaccompanied kids apprehended alongside the border.
Kennedy would have the authority as HHS secretary to determine laws associated to meals and drug security and public well being. He would be capable to declare public well being emergencies and could be concerned in coordinating federal responses to widespread well being crises, similar to epidemics.
Secretary of Homeland Safety
Trump introduced on Tuesday that he’ll nominate South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to be secretary of homeland safety. He mentioned within the announcement that Noem “will work intently with ‘Border Czar’ Tom Homan to safe the border.” The Biden administration’s outgoing homeland safety secretary is Alejando Mayorkas, who beforehand served as a deputy secretary of homeland safety, and earlier than that, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies.
What does the secretary of homeland safety do?
This division is accountable for a broad vary of home safety issues, with a mandate that features anti-terrorism, border safety and immigration, in addition to catastrophe prevention and administration. Trump made immigration and border points the central focus of his marketing campaign, and has promised to launch a mass deportation effort aimed toward eradicating hundreds of thousands of individuals from the USA.
If confirmed, Noem could be the first Trump Cupboard member coordinating his nationwide effort to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants — an endeavor that may contain not solely varied DHS businesses, but in addition the Justice Division, state and native regulation enforcement and probably the Protection Division.
Secretary of Housing and City Growth
Trump has not but introduced who he’ll nominate for secretary of housing and concrete growth. Adrianne Todman is the present performing secretary of Housing and City Growth, a former CEO of the Nationwide Affiliation of Housing and Redevelopment Officers, who has held the publish since March.
What does the HUD secretarydo?
This secretary is accountable for overseeing the nation’s high company accountable for administering housing regulation. The company is tasked with attempting to extend dwelling possession and entry to reasonably priced housing.
Inside secretary
Trump plans to appoint North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as secretary of the Inside. The previous know-how government and enterprise capitalist ran in opposition to Trump for the Republican presidential nomination earlier than dropping out in December. If confirmed, Burgum would substitute Deb Haaland, a former member of Congress who’s the primary Native American to function a cupboard secretary.
What does the inside secretary do?
The Inside Division manages about 75% of all federal land — about 507 million acres — and runs packages referring to the USA’ indigenous populations.
Labor secretary
Trump has not but introduced who he’ll nominate for labor secretary. Julie Su, the present performing Secretary of Labor, has held the publish since March 2023 and is a former California labor secretary.
What does the secretary of labor do?
The Labor Division administers 1000’s of federal legal guidelines and laws associated to office security and situations, wages, unemployment advantages and employment providers.
Secretary of state
Trump intends to appoint Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of Sstate. Rubio has represented Florida within the Senate since 2011, and if confirmed would take over because the nation’s high diplomat. The job is at present held by Antony Blinken, a longtime international coverage aide to Mr. Biden. Rubio is a member of the Senate Overseas Relations Committee and the highest Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He’s a China hawk with in depth international coverage expertise.
What does the secretary of state do?
As the pinnacle of the State Division, Rubio could be Trump’s high adviser on international coverage and worldwide relations. Rubio would oversee a worldwide community of embassies and consulates, and almost 80,000 workers devoted to the nation’s diplomacy. Rubio would tackle the high-profile function of secretary of state at a time when the U.S. and its allies are navigating precarious conflicts within the Center East and Jap Europe, amongst different areas.
Transportation secretary
Trump says he’ll title former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as his nominee for transportation secretary. Duffy is a former actuality TV star who’s co-host of “The Backside Line” on Fox Enterprise. He sat on the Home Monetary Companies Committee and chaired the subcommittee on insurance coverage and housing. He left Congress in 2019, and in his announcement, Trump famous that Duffy is married to a Fox Information host, calling him “the husband of a beautiful lady, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a STAR on Fox Information.” Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at present has the job.
What does the secretary of transportation do?
The secretary of transportation oversees the nation’s complicated federal community of highways and railroads, in addition to pipelines, aviation and trucking regulation. Duffy would tackle the function at a precarious time, as East coast dockworkers are in stalled contract negotiations and nearing a potential strike in January. The secretaries of transportation and labor would have key roles in navigating a possible disaster that would snarl provide chains and trigger extreme financial penalties within the early days of the brand new administration.
Treasury secretary
Trump has not but introduced who he’ll nominate for treasury secretary. The present secretary is Janet Yellen, a former chair of the Federal Reserve.
What does the treasury secretary do?
Because the chief monetary officer of the federal authorities, the treasury secretary could be Trump’s high adviser on financial and monetary coverage. The Treasury Division oversees the U.S. Mint and the Inside Income Service, amongst different businesses.
Veterans affairs secretary
Trump selected former Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia to guide the Division of Veterans Affairs. Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, and because the high Republican on the Home Judiciary Committee.
“We should care for our courageous women and men in uniform,” Trump mentioned in an announcement saying the decide. If confirmed, Collins would substitute Denis McDonough, a former White Home chief of employees underneath Obama.
What does the veterans affairs secretary do?
Collins would run the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs, the first federal company administering veterans’ advantages and well being care, in addition to memorials.
Different Cupboard-level positions
Environmental Safety Company administrator
Trump will nominate former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to go the Environmental Safety Company. Trump mentioned Zeldin “will guarantee honest and swift deregulatory choices that might be enacted in a solution to unleash the facility of American companies, whereas on the similar time sustaining the very best environmental requirements.” If confirmed, Zeldin would substitute Michael Regan, a former secretary of North Carolina’s Division of Environmental High quality, and is the primary Black EPA administrator.
What does the EPA administrator do?
The EPA enforces the federal Clear Air and Clear Water Acts and different environmental statutes. It additionally conducts environmental assessments, analysis, and training.
Small Enterprise Administration administrator
Trump has not introduced who he’ll nominate for administrator of the small enterprise administration. The present administrator is Isabel Guzman, who beforehand served as director of California’s Workplace of the Small Enterprise Advocate.
What does the administrator of the Small Enterprise Administration do?
This company’s purpose is to help small companies and entrepreneurs, and in doing so, bolster the nation’s economic system. It additionally assists in financial restoration after disasters.
Ambassador to the United Nations
Trump says he’ll nominate New York Rep. Elise Stefanik for the job of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik is a vocal Trump ally and chair of the Home Republican Convention. The present ambassador to the U.N. is Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a profession diplomat.
What does the ambassador to the United Nations do?
The ambassador represents U.S. pursuits on the world’s largest worldwide group, advocating for the nation’s political, financial, social, authorized and navy pursuits.
Chair of the Council of Financial Advisors
Trump has not introduced who he’ll nominate for chair of the Council of Financial Advisors. The present chair is Jared Bernstein, who was beforehand chief economist and financial adviser to then-Vice President Biden throughout the Obama administration.
What does the chair of the council of financial advisors do?
The council advises the president on financial coverage and prepares the annual Financial Report of the President.
Director of the Central Intelligence Company
Trump introduced on Tuesday that he’d nominate John Ratcliffe to go the CIA, the nation’s high international intelligence service. Ratcliffe is a former director of nationwide intelligence, and if confirmed he’ll substitute William Burns.
What does the director of the Central Intelligence Company do?
If confirmed by the Senate, Ratcliffe would oversee the nation’s largest international spy company. The CIA collects and analyzes intelligence, conducts covert paramilitary operations, counterterrorism and offensive cyber operations.
Director of nationwide intelligence
Trump introduced on Wednesday that he has chosen former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, now a Republican, to function his director of nationwide intelligence. Gabbard served within the Military Nationwide Guard and represented Hawaii within the Home of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.
Gabbard has by no means labored in intelligence. Her views on Russia, opposition to U.S. intervention in Ukraine, and a 2017 assembly with Syrian chief Bashar al-Assad have drawn criticism. The present director is Avril Haines, a former deputy nationwide safety advisor and deputy director of the CIA.
What does the director of nationwide intelligence do?
The top of the nationwide intelligence group, a key adviser to the president, leads the 17 civilian and navy businesses tasked with conducting intelligence gathering and evaluation in help of the nation’s nationwide safety and international coverage pursuits.
As DNI, Gabbard could be concerned with managing intelligence and response to terrorism-related occasions, overseeing the nationwide intelligence program and advising the Homeland Safety Council. Maybe her most necessary function could be one that may put in her common contact with Trump: the President’s Day by day Transient. Coordinated by the director of nationwide intelligence’s workplace, this each day abstract of high-level info and evaluation on nationwide safety points is supplied solely to the president and key advisers.
Workplace of Administration and Finances director
Trump introduced Russell Vought is his selection to guide the Workplace of Administration and Finances, a job he held within the first Trump administration. The present director is Shalanda Younger, who was beforehand employees director for the Home Appropriations Committee.
What does the director of the Workplace of Administration and Finances do?
The director oversees the company duties with making ready the funds proposed to Congress yearly by the president. It additionally manages the monetary paperwork of different businesses.
Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage director
Trump has not introduced who he’ll nominate for director of the Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage. The present director is Arati Prabhakar, who was beforehand director of the U.S. Protection Superior Analysis Initiatives Company.
What does the director of the Workplace of Science and Know-how Coverage do?
The president’s science adviser offers counsel on the consequences of science and know-how on each home and international affairs.
United States commerce consultant
Trump has not introduced who he’ll nominate for U.S. commerce consultant. The present commerce consultant is Katherine Tai, a former chief commerce counsel for the Home Committee on Methods and Means, and the primary Asian American to serve within the function.
What does the USA commerce consultant do?
The commerce consultant is the president’s predominant adviser and spokesperson on issues of commerce and is accountable for pushing the nation’s international commerce insurance policies.
Vice chairman
JD Vance was elected vp on Nov. 5. He’s the junior senator from Ohio, a place he has held for lower than two years. He’ll substitute Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Trump defeated within the presidential election.
What does the vp do?
The lone member of the president’s cupboard who’s voted on, the vp, is the second-highest rating member of the federal authorities. The vp additionally serves because the president of the Senate, empowered to forged tie breaking votes.
White Home chief of employees
Quickly after successful the election, Trump introduced Susie Wiles as his chief of employees. Wiles, a Florida-based political operative who served as Trump’s marketing campaign co-chair, would be the first lady in U.S. historical past to function chief of employees. The present chief of employees is Jeffrey Zients, who beforehand served as counselor to the president and White Home coronavirus response coordinator.
What does White Home chief of employees do?
The chief of employees leads the Government Workplace of the President, collectively the employees who serve the president most intently within the West Wing and close by government workplaces. The chief of employees is the president’s most senior political appointee, working with the president usually on a near-daily foundation.
