President-Elect Donald J. Trump will return to the White House after a historic win over Democratic Nominee Kamala Harris. Recently, he has announced his cabinet members, some of whom have come under public scrutiny: notably, Pete Hegseth and RFK Jr. Many of these positions require confirmation by the Senate. While Republicans have the majority in the Senate, we cannot be sure if they will vote to confirm some of Trump’s more controversial picks.
Along with that, each nominee has many personal beliefs, so while they ultimately receive orders from Trump, their ideas will affect their actions as cabinet members. Here are some of the current nominees, in order of succession.
*Note: this article was written as of Nov 27th 2024, candidates may have been changed, dropped, or announced.
Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
Description: The Secretary of State is the President’s top foreign policy advisor, and manages foreign relations with other countries.
Who: Rubio served as Florida’s senator since 2011, and was Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2008.
Beliefs: Marco Rubio holds aggressive and warlike beliefs towards China, Iran, and Cuba. He historically supported US aid to Ukraine, however he has recently started shifting his message, arguing for an end to the conflict as soon as possible.
Secretary of the Treasury: Scott Bessent
Description: Responsible for the fiscal and monetary responsibilities of the government: promoting US economic growth, tax collecting, etcetera.
Who: Bessent is the multi-billionaire CEO of hedge fund Key Square Group.
Beliefs: He advocates for tariffs, cutting spending, and tax cuts.
Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth
Description: Works closely with the armed forces to provide and disseminate military forces needed to deter war and protect our country.
Who: Hegseth is a Co-host of Fox and Friends, a #1 New York Times bestselling author, and an army veteran that has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay.
Beliefs: He believes in reforming the military to be less diverse, less woke, and more lethal. He also is a Christian, saying his faith is his number one priority.
Controversy: Many people, Republicans and Democrats alike, are outraged by Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth. Senior military officers argue that he is too inexperienced to take over such a powerful position, since the highest military position he held was Major. Additionally, Hegseth has controversial views, including opposing persecuting service members accused of war crimes, diversifying the military, and women in combat.
Attorney General: Pam Bondi
Description: The President’s main legal advisor for domestic affairs, Head of the Department of Justice, and chief law enforcement officer of the federal government.
Who: Bondi is an attorney, lobbyist, and politician. She served as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, and was a defense lawyer during Trump’s first impeachment trial.
Beliefs: She believes in enforcing laws addressing human trafficking issues, strengthening US borders to prevent illegal immigration, and wants to challenge the Affordable Care Act.
Secretary of the Interior: Doug Burgum
Description: The Secretary of the Interior manages the nation’s parks and resources, preserving America’s resources; conserving and protecting fish and wildlife; upholding the government’s responsibilities to Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and island communities.
Who: Burgum was the CEO of Great Plains Software, and is the 33rd governor of North Dakota.
Beliefs: Burgum believes in becoming carbon neutral, oil independent, and increasing investment in infrastructure.
Secretary of Agriculture: Brooke Rollins
Description: Leads the Department of Agriculture, which develops and reinforces policies regarding farming, agricultural practices, and food. The goals of the department are to end hunger both nationally and internationally, while promoting sustainable and profitable farming.
Who: Rollins is an attorney and president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute (used to promote Donald Trump’s public policies). She was also one of Trump’s former policy advisors.
Beliefs: (difficult to find) Rollins has some agricultural experience, having grown up on a farm and having a degree in agricultural development.
Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick
Description: The Secretary of Commerce spearheads the effort to create conditions for economic growth. The Department of Commerce supports US businesses through distributing patents, gathering economic and demographic data, and developing international trade agreements.
Who: Lutnick is the Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., a financial service firm.
Beliefs: Howard Lutnick is enthusiastic supporter of cryptocurrency, wide-ranging tariffs, and also created relief programs to aid victims of terrorism.
Acting Secretary of Labor: Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Description: Supervises the Department of Labor, assisting and protecting the working American people.
Who: Oregon’s US Representative since 2023, and mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon from 2011 to 2019.
Beliefs: Chavez-DeRemer is a major advocate for pro-union legislation, which protects the rights of workers to form unions and bargain for changes in the workplace.
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Description: The Department of Health and Human Services “conducts health and social science research, works to prevent disease outbreaks, assures food and drug safety, and provides health insurance.” The Secretary oversees the Food and Drug Administration, the Center of Disease Control, and the National Institutes of Health. This role also administers Medicare and Medicaid which provide many Americans health coverage.
Who: RFK is an environmentalist lawyer and American politician.
Beliefs: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an anti-vaccine activist, and believes in promoting environmental health through shutting down corporations using toxic waste and pollutants. He has also spoken out about ultra-processed foods and their detrimental effects on health.
Controversy: Many health officials, scientists, and ordinary people are shocked by the choice to place RFK, someone who does not believe in vaccines, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. RFK has also made several comments affirming debunked health myths, for example he has stated that fluoride in water causes “arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease”.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Scott Turner
Description: Develop national policies and programs responsible for fair housing laws, addressing America’s housing needs, and supporting homeownership for middle and low income families.
Who: A former NFL player, ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term, and former Texas State Representative.
Beliefs: Turner’s personal beliefs on housing are not very clear, but in the past he has worked with Ben Carson to send monetary aid to “distressed communities”.
Secretary of Transportation: Sean Duffy
Description: Leads the Department of Transportation, which ensures a safe, reliable, and fast transportation system. This includes managing roadways, aviation, maritime, and transit/railroad travel.
Who: Former US Representative of Wisconsin, co-host of Fox Business Network, “The Bottom Line” and district attorney.
Beliefs: While Duffy has not made any statements regarding his beliefs on America’s transportation system, Trump plans on removing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from the Department of Transportation.
Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright
Description: The goal of the Department of Energy is to advance national, economic, and sustainability of energy. It also administers federal funding towards scientific research searching for more methods of clean energy.
Who: Wright is the chief executive of Liberty Energy, the world’s second-largest fracking services company.
Beliefs: Chris Wright does not believe in using less energy, nor does he think that the US is entering an energy transformation. He has criticized the Department of Energy’s efforts to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon
Description: Works with the Department of Education to provide schools money and grants for educational programs and services.
Who: Former administrator of the Small Business Administration, and former CEO and co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Beliefs: McMahon is a strong supporter of school choice, and has served on the Connecticut Board of Education for 2009. However, Trump has said he will dismantle the Board, so McMahon’s biggest task may be to eliminate this Department.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins
Description: Responsible for overseeing the administration of benefits to veterans. These benefits may include “pension, education, disability compensation, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivor support, medical care, and burial benefits”.
Who: Veteran who served in the Iraq War, is now an Air Force Reserve chaplain, but also was a lawyer, and politician who served as Georgia’s U.S. representative from 2013 to 2021.
Beliefs: Believes in protecting religious liberties and Trump has said Collins would be “a great advocate for active duty service members, veterans and military families.”
Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
Description: Department of Homeland Security protects the American people from domestic and international threats. This includes preventing terrorist attacks, protecting computer networks, and overseeing border and migration control.
Who: 33rd Governor of South Dakota and the state’s former US Representative.
Beliefs: Noem has strong views regarding border security and is also pro-life.
