Donald Trump has been naming members of his cabinet, or the administrators of the fifteen departments, including Labor, Agriculture, and Justice, that comprise the Executive Branch. The cabinet is highly influential in guiding the President’s agenda. Here is a summary of Trump’s choices:

Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus. Priebus has been the Chairman of the RNC since 2011, and he was ironically a vocal critic of Trump. The Chief of Staff is the highest ranking employee in the White House and handles scheduling for meetings and other important affairs. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon. Bannon was formerly the CEO of the “alt-right” media company, Breitbart News Network, a highly controversial outlet. Bannon is reported to hold very prejudicial views against non-whites. He will have the President’s ear as the Chief Strategist. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Attorney General: Jeff Sessions. Sessions is a United States senator from Alabama, and he has expressed strong anti-marijuana legalization views. The New York Times has reported that Sessions once said he thought the KKK was acceptable until he found out they smoked marijuana. This position requires Senate confirmation.

National Security Advisor: Michael T. Flynn. Flynn is a retired Lieutenant General and a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Flynn has served as the commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Chair of the Military Intelligence Board, Assistant Director of National Intelligence, and the senior intelligence officer for the Joint Special Operations Command. Until being forced to retire in 2014 because of his contrasting views with the Obama administration, he served as Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Flynn will advise Trump on national security issues. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Ambassador to the United Nations: Nikki Haley. Haley is the current governor of South Carolina, both the first woman and first Indian American to serve in that capacity. She delivered the GOP response to the State of the Union address of Barrack Obama in 2016. Haley will serve as the chief representative for the US in the UN. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Defense: James Mattis. “Mad Dog” Mattis is a retired Marine Corps general, who served in Iraq and as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO from 2007 to 2009. Mattis is known to be very goal-oriented and is highly respected by many of his colleagues in the military. Mattis will advise Trump on defense issues. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: Mike Pompeo. Pompeo is currently a Republican congressman from Kansas. He graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy (West Point) and Harvard Law School and has served as a captain in the Army, most recently in the Gulf War. Pompeo was a Republican leader in questioning Hillary Clinton during her congressional testimony about the 2012 attack on American facilities in Benghazi. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos. DeVos is a school-choice activist and top Trump donor this past election cycle. She advocates for an increased role of charter schools and private education. DeVos will be tasked with managing the American public school system and will advise Trump on educational matters. She is the wife of Dick DeVos, heir to the multi-billion dollar Amway fortune. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross. Ross is an investor, former banker, and billionaire. He has experience restructuring failing businesses and enterprises. The Secretary of Commerce is tasked with promoting American business and trade. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Health and Human Services: Tom Price. Price, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, is a Republican representative from Georgia. He is one of the most outspoken critics of Obamacare. The Secretary is tasked with managing eleven different agencies, including the FDA, the CDC, and the NIH. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson. Dr. Carson is a retired neurosurgeon and former Trump rival in this election’s primaries. He was among the first high-profile figures to endorse Trump. He was at one point rumored to be the nominee for Surgeon General or Secretary of Health and Human Services. As the Secretary of HUD, he will advise Trump on matters concerning housing, especially in inner-city areas. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: Scott Pruitt. Pruitt does not believe the debate on climate change is settled, and as the attorney general of Oklahoma, he has been a party to lawsuits concerning the federal government’s push for stronger environmental standards on states. Pruitt will lead the agency tasked with protecting the environment. This position requires Senate confirmation.

These are only some of the bigger names for Trump’s cabinet. More positions will be filled, including ambassadors to every country as well as America’s chief diplomat, the Secretary of State. From The Harriton Banner, we will keep you posted.