Scott Bessent, Lori Chavez-DeRemer among latest
- Scott Bessent, a former Soros Fund Management chief investment officer, was nominated to lead the Treasury Department.
- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) was tapped to head the Labor Department.
- Other nominations include Dr. Janette Nesheiwat as U.S. Surgeon General and Russell Vought as Office of Management and Budget director.
Donald Trump is closing out the week with another batch of Cabinet nominations Friday.
The president-elect has picked former Soros Fund Management chief investment officer Scott Bessent to be the next Treasury secretary. Through the Cabinet position Bessent would help maintain the U.S. Dollar’s status as the “Reserve Currency of the World,” Trump said in a statement.
Trump also nominated Project 2025 contributor Russell Vought as Office of Management and Budget director, assisting the president with his agenda. Later he tapped Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Labor Department, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to serve as the U.S. Surgeon General, and motivational speaker Scott Turner to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
On Thursday, Trump picked former Attorney General of Florida Pam Bondi to serve as the nation’s attorney general. A longtime ally, the former prosecutor served on Trump’s Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission during his first term.
Bondi’s nomination serves as a replacement for former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s initial pick who withdrew his nomination as the Department of Justice investigates allegations against him of committing statutory rape by paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl. Gaetz, who has denied the allegations, said the investigation had unfairly become distraction and on Friday said will not rejoin Congress in January.
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Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent picked as Treasury secretary
Trump nominated Scott Bessent as his Treasury secretary. In a statement, he said the former Soros Fund Management chief investment officer would ensure no American would “be left behind in the next and Greatest Economic Boom.”
“Scott has long been a strong advocate of the America First Agenda,” Trump wrote. “On the eve of our Great Country’s 250th Anniversary, he will help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States, as we fortify our position as the World’s leading Economy, Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurialism, Destination for Capital.”
The 62-year-old Yale alum, who founded Key Square Capital Management in 2015, has supported Trump’s economic policy of deregulation, increasing domestic energy production and tax cuts.
Pending Senate approval, Bessent will advise Trump on matters relating to financial, economic and tax policy.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer tapped to lead Labor Department
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., is Trump’s pick to lead the Labor Department.
The one-term Oregon representative previously served as mayor of Happy Valley, a suburban city in the Portland area. She lost her reelection bid for the state’s 5th congressional district to Democratic challenger state Rep. Janelle Bynum.
“Lori has worked tirelessly with both Business and Labor to build America’s workforce, and support the hardworking men and women of America,” Trump said in a statement. “I look forward to working with her to create tremendous opportunity for American Workers, to expand Training and Apprenticeships, to grow wages and improve working conditions, to bring back our Manufacturing jobs.”
During her campaign, Chavez-DeRemer received endorsements from the largest federal employees union and several public safety unions including United Food and Commercial Workers.
Janette Nesheiwat picked as US Surgeon General
Trump has nominated Fox News medical contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat to serve as the U.S. Surgeon General.
“Dr. Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health,” Trump said in a statement. “She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives.”
The University of South Florida alumna completed her medical residency at University of Arkansas Medical Center in Fayetteville and also fulfilled ER rotations with Johns Hopkins University.
She’s also the author of “Beyond the Stethoscope: Miracles in Medicine,” which chronicles miraculous recoveries. The book description states that the various true stories highlight the transformative power of prayer and unwavering dedication to healing and service.
Marty Makary picked to lead FDA, Dave Weldon to lead CDC
Trump also nominated pancreatic surgeon Marty Makary as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and former congressman Dave Weldon as director of the Centers for Disease Control.
Makary is the current chief of Islet Transplant Surgery at Johns Hopkins and previously fulfilled leadership roles at the World Health Organization Patient Safety Program. He has served as a member of the National Academy of Medicine, a public adviser to think tank Paragon Health Institute and is a common expert guest at Fox News.
“FDA has lost the trust of Americans, and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator. The Agency needs Dr. Marty Makary, a Highly Respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the Agency,” Trump said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Weldon is slated to oversee the CDC, bringing both his medical expertise as a doctor for several decades and political experience as a congressman to the role. The Army veteran previously represented Florida’s 15th congressional district from 1995 to 2009.
“Dave understands American Family Values, and views Health as one of utmost important,” Trump said. “Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make American Healthy Again!”
Russell Vought to oversee management and budget
Trump has also nominated Russell Vought to oversee the Office of Management and Budget for a second time. Vought served as OMB director during the first Trump administration, following stints as deputy and acting OMB director.
Before that he served as the vice president of Heritage Action for America, the conservative think tank behind the right-wing Project 2025 policy plan. He also wrote a chapter of the blueprint regarding the “Executive Office of the President.”
In his new role, Vought would work on Trump’s proposed budget and help execute his plans across the federal government.
Scott Turner picked to lead housing and urban planning
Trump also nominated Scott Turner to oversee the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Texas motivational speaker with the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank, previously played as an NFL football cornerback. From 2013 to 2017, he served in the Texas House of Representatives.
He currently serves as chair of the Center for Education Opportunity at the institute and was previously the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.
Trump’s picks so far: What we know
Here are Trump’s picks for key positions in his administration, as of Thursday afternoon.
- Chief of Staff: Trump named his senior campaign adviser Susie Wiles as his White House chief of staff, the first woman in history to hold the title. The Florida political consultant largely stays out of the spotlight, but has been credited with helping Trump’s political comeback.
- Attorney General: Former Attorney General of Florida Pam Bondi was nominated by Trump for the position. She was not the president-elect’s first choice, as he initially nominated former Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew his nomination amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Bondi was the first female attorney general in the history of Florida.
- Secretary of State: U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is nominated as the next Secretary of State. He will bring foreign policy experience through his roles in the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A Cuban-American, he is set to be the first Latino person to be Secretary of State.
- Director of National Intelligence: Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is nominated as the director of national intelligence. The former Democratic presidential candidate-turned Republican represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013-2021.
- Ambassador to the United Nations: Trump nominated Elise Stefanik, a five-term Republican representing a northern New York district, as his pick for UN ambassador. She is the House Republican Conference Chair and a former contender for Trump’s running mate.
- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Trump has named Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The 2024 independent candidate has previously criticized vaccines and questioned the origin of the COVID-19 virus. He is arguably best known for spreading unfounded claims about a link between childhood vaccines and autism.
- Secretary of Defense: Trump nominated former Fox News host Pete Hegseth to Defense secretary. A Fox News commentator, Hegseth served in the U.S. Army National Guard and had led veteran’s advocacy groups.
- Secretary of Education: World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon has been nominated to oversee the Education Department. She served as former head of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019.
- Secretary of Commerce: Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick has been selected to serve as the commerce secretary. The Wall Street billionaire is expected to offer insight relating to job creation and economic growth.
- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Trump has appointed Lee Zeldin as the administrator of The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin was a Congressman for parts of Long Island, New York and ran but lost against Kathy Hochul in the 2022 gubernatorial race.
- Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: Trump designated his former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as CIA director. Ratcliffe previously was a House member from Texas before serving as director of national intelligence at the end of Trump’s first presidency.
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Trump announced his choice of South Dakota Gov.Kristi Noem to be the Secretary of Homeland Security. The pick puts the hardline conservative governor, who sent the state’s National Guard to the southern border, in a key role on immigration.
- Secretary of Interior: Trump has nominated Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to be his secretary of Interior coordinating federal policy to several territories. Burgum previously ran to be Republican presidential nominee before dropping out in December and has long been vocal about fossil fuels and energy issues.
- Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs: Trump has nominated former Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Collins to be his secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He served as a congressman representing Georgia’s 9th district from 2013 to 2021. A trusted Trump loyalist, he is a chaplain of the United States Air Force Reserve Command and served in the Iraq War in 2008.
- Secretary of the Department of Energy: Trump is nominating oil industry executive Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy and 2024 campaign donor to lead the Department of Energy. Wright, who has expressed skepticism about climate change science, would join a Trump administration that campaigned to roll back climate change policies and clean energy spending ushered in during President Biden’s term.
- Deputy chief of staff for policy: Long-standing Trump adviser Stephen Miller has been tapped for deputy chief of staff for policy in Trump’s next administration. The 39-year-old served as senior adviser to Trump and director of speechwriting during the Republican’s first term in the White House and is credited with shaping Trump’s immigration policies.
- ‘Border czar’: Trump has appointed Tom Homan to oversee deportation policy and aviation security. Homan was a Border Patrol agent for 34 years and served in Trump’s first administration as acting ICE director. He drew controversy for strict immigration enforcement, including the “zero-tolerance” policy which separated families of undocumented immigrants.
- National security adviser: Trump has named Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security adviser. Waltz has held civilian positions at the Pentagon, was on the House Armed Services Committee and has supported Trump’s isolationist view of foreign relations.
- U.S. ambassador to Israel: Trump announced he is nominating former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as his U.S. ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a Baptist minister and former Fox News host, who has run for the Republican presidential nomination twice, unsuccessfully. His daughter is Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first presidency.
- White House Counsel: Trump tapped William McGinley to serve as his White House counsel. McGinley, a partner at the Washington-based law firm Holtzman Vogel, worked as White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first presidency.
- U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York: Trump has nominated Jay Clayton as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Clayton has previously served as chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term.
- Deputy attorney general: Trump has decided lawyer Todd Blanche will serve as deputy attorney general. Blanche is known for aggressively representing the president-elect in his New York hush money trial and in two federal criminal cases.
- White House Communications Director: Trump named Steven Cheung to be his communications director in his second term. Cheung worked as the rapid response director for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and was perhaps the most adversarial of the candidate’s spokespersons, describing opponents and “snowflakes” and “cucks” who suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
- White House Press Secretary: Trump named Karoline Leavitt as his second-term White House press secretary. She’s expected to be the youngest to ever hold the position.
- Secretary of Transportation: Trump has named former reality TV star Sean Duffy as his pick for Secretary of Transportation. Once a cast member on MTV’s “The Real World,” he later served as a congressman from Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2019 and went on to co-host “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.
- Federal Communications Commission Chairman: Trump tapped Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission. The senior Republican commissioner at the FCC authored a chapter of Project 2025, the 900-page “presidential transition project” released by the Heritage Foundation.
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator: Physician and television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz is Trump’s pick to oversee the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which operates under the Department of Health and Human Services.
What are the Cabinet positions?
The Cabinet advises the president on issues related to their respective offices.
These are the Cabinet positions from the 15 executive departments, which must be confirmed by the Senate:
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of Defense
- Attorney General
- Secretary of the Interior
- Secretary of Agriculture
- Secretary of Commerce
- Secretary of Labor
- Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Secretary of Transportation
- Secretary of Energy
- Secretary of Education
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- Secretary of Homeland Security
- Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Secretary of Treasury
The Cabinet and presidential advisers can also include the vice president, the chief of staff, the ambassador to the United Nations, the director of National Intelligence, the U.S. trade representative, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, the head of the Council of Economic Advisors, the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the head of the Small Business Administration.
Contributing: Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Sarah D. Wire, Fernando Cervantes Jr., James Powel, Aysha Bagchi, Zac Anderson, Darren Samuelsohn, Dan Morrison, Karen Weintraub, Alyssa Goldberg, Tom Vanden Brook, David Jackson, Savannah Kuchar, Victor Hagan, Bart Jansen, Riley Beggin, Michael Collins, Joey Garrison; Kaycee Sloan, the Cincinnati Enquirer; Jim Little; Pensacola News Journal.
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