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Trump has not wasted much time to select allies in key posts of his administration and demanded a Senate vote bypass for other picks.
Susan Wiles was the central figure in Trump’s successful 2024 presidential campaign, keeping media backlashes at a minimum. (Reuters)
Donald Trump secured a thumping victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the US election and has not waited a breath in chalking out key appointments in his upcoming Cabinet, relying on aides and allies who had strongly backed him during the 2024 presidential campaign.
With Trump presiding over the White House and his Republican Party securing control over both chambers of US Congress, this has made him one of the most powerful presidents in US history. Without skipping a beat, he has named his closest allies in key positions, including the White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of State, National Security Adviser and more.
Trump earlier said he would not invite former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley or his ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join his incoming administration. Haley, the Indian-origin Republican leader, was Trump’s presidential rival in a bitter contest for the nomination before losing and endorsing him later.
In October, Trump said in the podcast ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ that the “biggest mistake” of his previous presidency was picking “bad, disloyal people” to join his administration. His second administration is expected to be widely different from the last, with loyalists in key posts, and the President-elect has demanded a Senate confirmation bypass for his selections.
Here’s the list of Trump’s picks in key posts so far:
Susan Wiles, White House Chief Of Staff
Susie Wiles served as the senior campaign manager of the Republican leader in the 2024 presidential race and will become the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. Named the “ice maiden”, Wiles has decades of experience in American politics and previously worked on former President Ronald Reagan’s campaign in 1980. She is credited for launching a bold campaign for Trump that was able to attract some Black and Latino voters in his victory.
With her selection as President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, veteran Florida political strategist Susie Wiles moves from a largely behind-the-scenes role of campaign co-chair to the high-profile position of the president’s closest adviser and counsel. She has largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning.
Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser
Trump chose Mike Waltz, a retired National Guard officer and three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida, as the National Security Adviser in the United States. Waltz gained attention for advocating a hawkish policy on China and has repeatedly expressed concerns about China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific. Waltz is also the co-chair of the bipartisan congressional India Caucus and has championed deepening ties with India in defence and security cooperation.
ALSO READ: Who Is Mike Waltz? Trump’s Pick For National Security Adviser, His Stance On US-India Ties
In the position, Waltz will be responsible for briefing Trump on key national security issues and coordinating with different agencies. He would be at the forefront of a litany of several issues, ranging from the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine to the escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.
Tom Homan, Border Czar
Thomas D Homan, the former acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was appointed as the “border czar” in Trump’s second administration, as the President-elect expressed confidence in his ability to drive “illegal aliens” out of the US. Homan has long been a Trump loyalist and shares his view of illegal immigration, promising to run the “biggest deportation operation” in the country.
During Trump’s first administration, Homan operated a “zero tolerance” immigration system where family members were separated during detention and deportation proceedings. He has criticised Joe Biden’s administration for allowing millions of undocumented immigrants into the country and called for robust enforcement. However, Homan said the deportations would be conducted in a “humane manner”.
ALSO READ: Who Is Tom Homan, Trump’s Hawkish ‘Border Czar’? Old Videos Of His Stance On Deportations Go Viral
Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief Of Policy
Miller, a long-time Trump ally and an immigration hardliner, was appointed as the deputy chief of policy in his new administration. Miller had previously served in Trump’s first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, particularly on immigration, and crafted Trump’s hard-line speeches.
Since leaving the White House, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization of former Trump advisers fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union, challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as freedom of speech and religion and national security.
Elise Stefanik, UN Ambassador
Elise Stefanik, the youngest woman elected to Congress in US history, has been picked by Trump as the UN ambassador. The New York congresswoman has for years been one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress and currently serves as the House Republican Conference chair since 2021, the third-ranking member of House leadership.
If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the UN as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine since 2022. Stefanik has also criticised the UN for its lack of sufficient backing for Israel’s war against Hamas. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning.
Lee Zeldin, Environment Protection Agency
Amid concerns over Trump’s policy on climate change, he chose New York Representative Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The 44-year-old Zeldin has vowed to restore US energy dominance, revitalise the auto industry to boost jobs and make America the global leader in Artificial Intelligence.
Like others, Zeldin is a long-time supporter of Trump but does not have much experience in environmental issues. Trump said Zeldin will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet”.
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
