Trump Cabinet Picks so Far: Here’s the Surprising List

The frenzy at Mar-a-Lago is in full force as Trump allies jockey and plead their case to become a part of the new administration.

First and foremost, as we reported days ago, Trump selected Susie Wiles as his Chief of Staff, no doubt filling this role first as a way to organize the rest of the chaos.

Beyond that, Trump has hundreds of other key appointments to make including all the various department heads and supporting roles in all the federal agencies.

Confirmed Appointments

Here’s a short list of confirmed appointments including some outside of the cabinet level.

* Denotes cabinet-level pick requiring Senate Confirmation

Susie Wiles – Chief of Staff

Wiles already proved herself by running a successful campaign for Trump, which led to victory on November 5. She’s been around Washington for years but is not of Washington, as they say. Wiles was able to bring cohesiveness to Trump’s messaging and seems like a solid choice for this role.

Tom Homan – Border Czar

Homan’s appointment is specifically geared toward Trump’s deportation plan, which we touched on a few days ago. While some have wondered why Homan wasn’t appointed as the Secretary of Homeland Security or a similar role, he will actually have more power suited serving in what is basically an appointed advisory role that answers directly to the president.

In his role as “border czar” — which does not require Senate confirmation — Homan will be in charge of the southern and northern U.S. borders, as well as “all Maritime and Aviation Security,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin,” Trump wrote, adding that “there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders.”

Stephen Miller – Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy

Following through on his promise to make border security and deportation of illegal migrants his top priority, Stephen Miller is a tremendous asset on this front. Miller was paramount in crafting and implementing the major border policies during the first Trump administration that drove down illegal border crossings and brought the situation under control.

Miller is also a lead architect of the president-elect’s plans for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. He has said that a second Trump administration would seek a tenfold increase in the number of deportations to more than 1 million per year. In an interview on Fox News last week, Miller expressed eagerness at the prospect of beginning mass deportations as soon as possible.

Mike Waltz – National Security Adviser

Waltz has been one of President-elect Trump’s most visible surrogates during the 2024 campaign, spearheading military outreach and helping with the Veterans For Trump coalition. As a former Green Beret and advisor under previous administrations in the Defense Department, Waltz is well-suited for the task of providing Trump the big picture overview of what’s happening in the world.

Elise Stefanik – UN Ambassador*

Stefanik is Trump’s first official Cabinet pick for his second term in the White House. “I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement Monday. Stefanik said she was “truly honored” by Trump’s announcement. “I stand ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations,” she said in a statement.

Lee Zeldin – EPA Administrator*

The nomination for EPA administrator will need confirmation from the Senate, where Republicans are poised to hold a majority of seats next term. “[Zeldin] will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses,” Trump said in a statement released Monday afternoon, adding that Zeldin will still maintain “the highest environmental standards.”

Rumored Picks

These picks are being reported by some media outlets as “expected” picks but have not been confirmed by President-elect Trump:

Scott Bessent – Secretary of Treasury*

Financial Post reports: “Some of President-elect Donald Trump’s key advisers are backing Scott Bessent, who runs macro hedge fund Key Square Group, as the best choice to serve as Treasury secretary, people familiar with the matter said, Trump has not yet made a decision or offered the job to any candidate. But Bessent’s contributions during the campaign — from fundraising to helping write economic speeches and draft policy proposals — earned the president-elect’s respect, the people said.”

Kristi Noem – Homeland Security Secretary*

CNN reports: “President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection. Noem will be tapped to take over the agency as two key immigration hardliners — Stephen Miller and Tom Homan — are slated to serve in senior roles, signaling Trump is serious about his promise to crack down on his immigration pledges.”

Marco Rubio – Secretary of State*

NBC News reports: “President-elect Donald Trump is expected to nominate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida for secretary of state in his administration in the coming days, according to three sources familiar with the selection process. Trump could still change his mind, the sources cautioned, noting that the decision wouldn’t be finalized until he makes a formal announcement.”

Kash Patel – Head of CIA

New York Post reports: “Former Department of Defense official Kash Patel is being considered for several national security posts — including CIA director, a key GOP source told The Post on Monday. Patel, 44, previously served as a National Security Council official, senior adviser to the acting director of national intelligence and chief of staff to the secretary of defense. While President-elect Donald Trump has not officially arrived a decision about Patel’s final move, there has been “conversations” between the transition team and the former Trump official — with the majority of the discussions in Trump World being focused on the CIA, according to the source.”