From Firebrands To Stalwarts, Who Is In Donald Trump's Top Team?

1 month ago 4

Washington:

US President-elect Donald Trump is handing top roles in his future administration to a mix of allies, provocateurs, and a few relatively conventional figures.

Most positions require Senate approval, which brings added scrutiny.

Here is who Trump has chosen so far:

Health Secretary: RFK Jr.

Leading vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the scion of the famous Democratic political dynasty and a conspiracy theorist.

The 70-year-old has promoted the disproven idea that childhood vaccines cause autism. He endorsed Trump after first seeking the Democratic nomination.

Meanwhile, TV celebrity Mehmet Oz, a former surgeon, will lead the United States' massive public health insurance programs in his first public office role.

Attorney General: Pam Bondi

Pam Bondi, the former state attorney general of Florida from 2011-2019 and staunch Trump ally, is the president-elect's second pick to lead the US Department of Justice.

Bondi, who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was nominated after ex-congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his name amid renewed attention to sexual misconduct allegations.

'Government Efficiency': Elon Musk

Tech tycoon Musk, the world's richest person, was tapped to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, along with wealthy Trump ally Vivek Ramaswamy. Both will supposedly remain private citizens.

Musk says he is targeting $2 trillion in cuts from the federal government's $7 trillion budget, pledging to test legal boundaries to achieve it.

Secretary of State: Marco Rubio

Amid the intensifying US power struggle with China, Trump tapped Senator Rubio of Florida, a relatively traditional conservative hawk, as top diplomat.

Born to Cuban immigrants, Rubio is a fervent Israel supporter and longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Defense Secretary: Pete Hegseth

Fox News host and former soldier Hegseth was nominated to head the Pentagon, which employs some 2.9 million people, despite a slim CV.

He was investigated for an alleged 2017 sexual assault but no charges were filed.

Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard, a former Hawaii congresswoman, also switched sides from the Democrats to back Trump's reelection.

She has stood out for endorsing Kremlin justifications about its invasion of Ukraine, and controversially met in 2017 with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Homeland Security Secretary: Kristi Noem

South Dakota Governor Noem became famous for admitting she shot an "untrainable" pet dog, saying it showed her ability to make tough choices.

She would play a key role in Trump's promise to restrict immigration and deport undocumented migrants, along with hard-liners Tom Homan and Stephen Miller, who will be "border czar" and White House deputy chief of staff, respectively.

Education Secretary: Linda McMahon

Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon will head a department that Trump has pledged to abolish, vowing to "send education back to the states."

McMahon is a major Trump donor and led the Small Business Administration during his first term.

Interior Secretary: Doug Burgum

Burgum, North Dakota's governor, would lead a department that oversees federal lands and natural resources, with additional clout as head of a new National Energy Council aimed at expanding oil and gas production.

Climate group Evergreen Action warned that the billionaire could turn the Interior Department into a "tool for fossil fuel corporations."