Donald Trump's new administration: Who has he chosen so far?
Donald Trump has made several announcements in the last 24 hours about the members of his new administration.
(NewsNation) — Republican President-elect Donald Trump has made several announcements in the last 24 hours about the members of his new administration.
On Sunday, Trump posted that former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan would be joining as the "border czar," and the next day, he said his former adviser, Stephen Miller, would be deputy chief of policy.
Trump is set to meet Wednesday with President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss the transition of power.
JD Vance, Vice President
Sen. JD Vance was chosen to be Trump’s running mate in July, with Trump announcing him as the Republican National Convention kicked off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Republican from Ohio gained national prominence through his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy." During his time in the Senate, Vance, who was once one of Trump's biggest critics, later became one of the fiercest defenders of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, especially when it comes to foreign policy, trade and immigration.
In 2021, he secured Trump’s endorsement during the Senate primary to fill the vacancy left by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman. Vance then won the general Senate race against Democratic candidate Tim Ryan and took office in January 2023.
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff
Susie Wiles is a longtime Republican strategist and the leader of Trump's 2024 campaign who worked alongside the president-elect in 2016.
Wiles will be the first woman to be a White House chief of staff. Since her start as a scheduler for Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign, she's also worked for Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.
She is the daughter of the late NFL player turned broadcaster Pat Summerall.
“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected,” Trump said. “Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud.”
Stephen Miller, deputy chief of policy
Miller is one of Trump's longest-serving aides. A senior adviser in Trump's first term who crafted many of the president-elect's speeches, The Associated Press reports Miller's been a central figure in many of his policy decisions, including the move to separate thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program in 2018.
After Trump left office, Miller became president of America First Legal, which the AP says was fashioned as a conservative version of the American Civil Liberties Union that challenged the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others.
Tom Homan, 'border czar'
Homan, as "border czar," is expected to make deportation a top priority. At the Republican National Convention, he said that he had a message to the "millions" of undocumented migrants in the country: "You better start packing now."
As acting director of ICE from January 2017 through June 2018, Homan backed Trump's zero tolerance policy at the border in his first term, which resulted in thousands of families being separated at the southern border. He's previously said that workplace raids would resume in the Trump administration.
Before joining ICE, Homan was a police officer in West Carthage, New York, and later had positions as a Border Patrol agent, investigator and supervisor. Former Democratic President Barack Obama appointed Homan to be the executive associate director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2013.
Homan retired as acting ICE director in 2018 and joined the Heritage Foundation, where he contributed to its Project 2025.
Elise Stefanik, UN ambassador
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Trump's pick for ambassador to the United Nations, was elected to the House of Representatives at the age of 30 in 2014, making her the youngest woman elected to Congress in United States history at the time.
She currently serves as chair of the House Republican Conference, a position she was chosen for when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election.
“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump said in a statement. "Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter."
Stefanik said she had a conversation with Trump where she told him "how deeply humbled" she was to accept the nomination.
"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," Stefanik said on X Monday.
Lee Zeldin, EPA administrator
Attorney Lee Zeldin was chosen Monday to be Trump's administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
From 2015 to 2023, he served New York’s 1st Congressional District as a U.S. representative, and he ran for governor of the state in 2022, losing to current Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Zeldin was on active duty in the United States Army for four years and is currently a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.
"Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies," Trump said in a statement. "He 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."
Zeldin said on X that "it is an honor" to join the administration.
"We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI," Zeldin said. "We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water."
Mike Waltz, national security adviser
Trump has tapped Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to be his national security adviser, according to multiple reports.
Waltz, a Green Beret combat vet and longtime Trump surrogate, has held office in his native Florida since 2019, when he took over DeSantis' post in the state's 6th Congressional District.
The 50-year-old has called for Europe to do more to support Ukraine and for the U.S. to be more stringent with its support, aligning with a key foreign policy goal of the president-elect. He has also been a staunch critic of the Biden administration’s 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The position doesn't require Senate confirmation, meaning Waltz will assume his role as soon as Trump is inaugurated.
Trump went through multiple national security advisers during his first term. Michael Flynn was in the role for just a few weeks before resigning amid controversy over his conversations with Russia. Others to hold the post included H.R. McMaster, John Bolton and Robert O’Brien.
Marco Rubio, secretary of state
Trump has chosen Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to be his secretary of state, two sources with knowledge of the matter confirm to NewsNation.
The longtime politician, 53, will serve as the 47th president's top diplomat. He's considered one of the most conservative senators in Congress despite his position on immigration reform having diverged from the party’s consensus at one point.
In terms of foreign policy, Rubio supported U.S. interventions in Iraq and Libya and has been supportive of sanctions against Iran. He has warned against China’s influence in the global sphere, supporting higher tariffs to limit the country’s ability to export cheaper products to the U.S.
Rubio has served as the senior United States senator for the Sunshine State since 2011. Before that, he was speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2008.
Despite a rivalry with Trump during the 2016 GOP primaries, Rubio has been a steadfast Trump supporter since the president-elect's first term.
Kristi Noem, Homeland Security secretary
Trump has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security during his second term, The Hill confirmed.
Noem said Friday that Democratic governors who have pledged to resist Trump’s immigration policies are being “extremely irresponsible” and should instead seek dialogue with the incoming administration.
She has been supportive of the Justice Department’s decision to suspend investigations into Trump, saying it was “a good first step” toward restoring faith in federal law enforcement agencies.
As governor, Noem has faced ups and downs with tribal governments in South Dakota.
She offered emergency assistance after flooding in 2019, moved the state Office of Indian Education from the state Department of Education to the state Department of Tribal Affairs, has been banned from many of the nine reservations at different times and shifted funding so the state’s law enforcement training program could conduct the first-ever class for tribal officers this year.
Who won't be on Trump's team
As he's been talking about who will be in his next administration, Trump has also highlighted who won't be.
One of them is former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who held the role of ambassador to the United Nations during Trump's first term, and the other is former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In a tweet, Trump said he won't be inviting them back, though he "very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously."
"I was proud to work with President Trump, defending America at the United Nations," Haley said in response on X. "I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years."
Pompeo also said that he was proud to work in that previous administration and that it was time to put America first.
NewsNation's Libbey Dean, Kristen Eskow, Anna Kutz, Steph Whiteside, The Associated Press and The Hill contributed to this report.
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