Donald Trump’s transition
Trump’s transition
Secretary of State
Marco Rubio
A second-generation Cuban American elected as part of the Tea Party movement, Rubio contended for the 2016 presidential race and strongly criticized Trump before supporting him. Seen as a more traditional Republican, he has previously led efforts at bipartisan immigration reform and supports interventionist foreign policy. | Read more.
What is the Department of State?
The U.S. Department of State is responsible for foreign policy issues, including negotiating treaties and agreements. The State Department maintains diplomatic relations with other countries, overseeing embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions. It was created in 1789 and was the first executive department established in the United States.
Secretary of Defense
Pete Hegseth
A combat veteran, Hegseth has advocated for a more muscular military policy and denounced current Army leadership for its diversity initiatives. He has also criticized NATO as overly reliant on the U.S. | Read more.
What is the Department of Defense?
The U.S. Department of Defense provides the country’s military forces and its head acts as second in command of the U.S. military after the president. Serving the same functions as a defense minister in other countries, the secretary of defense has the authority to set military policy, communicate with congressional committees and issue medals and awards.
Pete Hegseth
Confirmation challenges
Hegseth praised the January 6th attack on the Capitol and has made statements that have been interpreted as calls for right-wing political violence. He was also flagged by a fellow service memeber as a possible insider threat due to potential associations with Christian extremism.
Attorney General
Pam Bondi
As Florida’s first female attorney general, Bondi led the state’s effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act, the health bill more commonly known as Obamacare, and later served on Trump’s legal team in his first impeachment trial. She currently heads the legal department at the America First Policy Institute. | Read more.
What does the Attorney General do?
The attorney general heads the U.S. Department of Justice and serves as the government’s chief law enforcement officer. The department provides leadership in criminal justice, prosecutes federal crimes and defends the federal government’s legal interests in court.
Pam Bondi
Confirmation challenges
Trump nominated Bondi after his previous pick, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration on November 21, due to allegations of underage sex trafficking and drug use, accusaions Gaetz has denied.
Secretary of Commerce
Howard Lutnick
After his company’s offices were destroyed in the 9/11 attacks and most of its employees killed, Lutnick emerged as a prominent philanthropist and advocate for victims’ families. A major fundraiser for Trump and a supporter of his low-tax, high-tariff economic proposals, Lutnick now serves as co-chair of the presidential transition team. | Read more.
What is the Department of Commerce?
The U.S. Department of Commerce promotes job creation, economic growth and sustainable development. The Secretary of Commerce oversees a diverse set of agencies, including the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Secretary of Homeland Security
Kristi Noem
As South Dakota’s first female governor, Noem pursued conservative policies such as banning abortion, abolishing gun restrictions and deploying the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexio border.
What is the Department of Homeland Security?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is responsible for public security, much like the Interior or Home ministries of other countries. Its stated mission involves anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cybersecurity, and disaster prevention and management.
Kristi Noem
Confirmation challenges
Noem was considered a possible vice presidential pick until reports surfaced highlighting controversial passages in her autobiography in which she recounts shooting and killing her family dog for misbehaving during a hunt.
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
John Ratcliffe
One of the most conservative members of Congress, Ratcliffe chaired multiple committees and opposed Trump’s impeachment. After being named director of national intelligence, he often contradicted the findings of other intelligence officials and was accused of politicizing the role in order to help the president.
What is the CIA?
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. federal government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world. The CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection.
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Lee Zeldin
A conservative attorney from Long Island, New York, Zeldin unsuccesfully ran for the state’s governor in 2022. During his congressional career, he opposed same-sex marriage and abortion, while supporting tax cuts and voting to roll back environmental regulations. Zeldin was a consistent advocate for Trump and opposed his impeachment.
What is the EPA?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1970 to protect human health and maintain national environmental standards. It conducts environmental assessment, research and education, as well as writing and enforcing environmental regulations passed by Congress.
Director of National Intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard
Gabbard was one of Joe Biden’s rivals in the 2020 Democratic primary, running on a platform that combined support for Israel and the Global War on Terrorism with anti-interventionist foreign policy on Ukraine and Syria. She has since moved right on social issues and supported Trump’s reelection bid, joining the Republian Party in October 2024.
What does the Director of National Intelligence do?
The director of national intelligence serves as the president’s principal adviser on intelligence matters, overseeing coordination and collection of information between the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies.
Tulsi Gabbard
Confirmation challenges
In arguing against U.S. military intervention in Ukraine and Syria, Gabbard has made statements in support of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, meeting with the latter during a trip to Syria in 2017. She has also come under scrutiny for her perceived closeness to Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
Ambassador to the United Nations
Elise Stefanik
Intially a moderate Republican, Stefanik emerged as a supporter of Trump, opposing his impeachment and backing his claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. She later gained national attention for her backing of Israel and aggressive questioning of university presidents over the question of antisemitism on college and university campuses.
What does the Ambassador to the U.N. do?
The permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations represents the United States on the U.N. Security Council and during almost all plenary meetings of the General Assembly, except when a more senior U.S. officer, such as the secretary of state or the president, is present.
Trump’s administration
Explore the full list of nominees
A look at the people President-elect Donald Trump says he intends to nominate for key positions in his administration. | Explore the full list