From wire reports
President-elect Donald Trump continues to build his leadership team, with appointments being announced for a variety of positions.
Among those selected by Trump are campaign mega-donor and billionaire Elon Musk and former National Intelligence Director and former Texas U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe.
Defense secretary
Trump is nominating Pete Hegseth, host of Fox News Channel性视界传媒檚 weekend morning program and an Army National Guard officer, as his Defense secretary, the president-elect said in a statement o Tuesday evening.
性视界传媒淧ete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,性视界传媒 Trump said in a statement. 性视界传媒淧ete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America性视界传媒檚 enemies are on notice 性视界传媒 Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.性视界传媒
If confirmed by the Senate, Hegseth would take over the Pentagon at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Israel is battling Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, and in Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to gain on Kyiv性视界传媒檚 troops, despite billions in military aid from the U.S. and allies.
China, at the same time, poses a long-term threat for Washington as it plows ahead with military innovation and building up its nuclear arsenal.
But Hegseth is an unconventional choice that has traditionally gone to onetime military leaders, lawmakers or government officials with decades of experience. Hegseth did once run a conservative group that advocated for greater privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and had been considered for a role running that department during Trump性视界传媒檚 first term.
If confirmed, he would take over what性视界传媒檚 commonly regarded as the world性视界传媒檚 largest organization and the largest U.S. employer, with more than 770,000 employees and 2 million men and women in uniform. Its budget is more than $840 billion, and its finances are so complicated it性视界传媒檚 never successfully completed an audit.
In nominating Hesgeth, though, Trump would have a staunch loyalist helping spearhead what are expected to be radical changes at the Pentagon, which prides itself on being apolitical.
Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Tuesday night, is 性视界传媒渟omebody who will, I think be reform-minded. He性视界传媒檚 highly qualified.性视界传媒
In his campaign, Trump has promised to ban transgender people from the military, strip away diversity and inclusion policies in government, and has talked of using the National Guard and possibly the active-duty military to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
The White House may also charge the new Pentagon boss with cutting costs from its budget and pivoting its procurement bureaucracy toward funding technology innovations.
There was high turnover for Pentagon chiefs in the first Trump administration. Retired four-star General James Mattis resigned in protest in late 2018 over Trump性视界传媒檚 antipathy toward alliances, and later criticized him as someone 性视界传媒渨ho tries to divide us.性视界传媒
The second, Mark Esper, was more amenable on issues such as troop drawdowns in Afghanistan and Germany and focusing more personnel and funds on the border with Mexico. But even Esper was fired after objecting to Trump性视界传媒檚 threats to use troops to quell protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
CIA director
Trump has picked Ratcliffe to be the director of the CIA, selecting a fierce loyalist from his first administration to lead the nation性视界传媒檚 intelligence apparatus.
Ratcliffe, 59, is expected to bring a heavy focus on countering national security threats and foreign adversaries such as China and Iran to the position. If confirmed by the Senate, he will lead an agency with which Trump had an often hostile relationship in his first term.
During his first White House term, the president-elect often launched attacks on social media against U.S. intelligence agencies while at times praising adversaries including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea性视界传媒檚 Kim Jong Un.
That contentious relationship was largely driven by the agencies性视界传媒 warnings that Russia meddled in the 2016 election in Trump性视界传媒檚 favor. He accused the 性视界传媒渄eep state性视界传媒 of being 性视界传媒渨eaponized性视界传媒 against him and his allies. At a summit in Helsinki in 2018, he sided with Putin over U.S. agencies性视界传媒 assessment of Moscow性视界传媒檚 election interference.
Trump lauded Ratcliffe in a statement Tuesday, saying he 性视界传媒渨ill be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans, while ensuring the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.性视界传媒
Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence at the end of Trump性视界传媒檚 first term, after serving as a Republican congressman from Texas, where he was first elected in 2014.
When first nominated by Trump to serve as national intelligence director, Ratcliffe came under scrutiny and withdrew his name from consideration amid accusations that he exaggerated his qualifications. Senate Republicans soured on Ratcliffe over questions about whether he misrepresented his role in prosecuting terrorism and immigration cases when he worked at the Justice Department.
However, Ratcliffe eventually won support for the nomination following his staunch defense of Trump during the former president性视界传媒檚 first impeachment. That proceeding involved accusations Trump abused his powers by trying to coerce Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to open an investigation into Joe Biden before the 2020 election. Ratcliffe was confirmed by the Senate as national intelligence director in May 2020.
性视界传媒淭he Trump administration will be inheriting an incalculably large and dangerous network of terrorist threats embedded within the 10 million people allowed to illegally enter the U.S. by border czar Kamala Harris,性视界传媒 Ratcliffe wrote on X in October, referring to Trump性视界传媒檚 Democratic election rival.
Ratcliffe currently leads the America First Policy Institute性视界传媒檚 Center for American Security, along with other former aides from Trump性视界传媒檚 first administration, Keith Kellogg and Fred Fleitz. Half a year after Putin性视界传媒檚 invasion of Ukraine, the trio authored a report titled 性视界传媒淓nding Putin性视界传媒檚 Invasion性视界传媒 calling on the U.S. to map out plans to convene peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
Department of Government Efficiency
Trump announced Tuesday that Musk will lead the incoming administration性视界传媒檚 planned Department of Government Efficiency, or 性视界传媒淒OGE,性视界传媒 alongside former Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
The department is not an official government agency, and the picks do not require Senate approval.
性视界传媒淭ogether, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies 性视界传媒 Essential to the 性视界传媒淪ave America性视界传媒 Movement,性视界传媒 Trump said in the announcement.
性视界传媒淚t will become, potentially, 性视界传媒楾he Manhattan Project性视界传媒 of our time,性视界传媒 he added, referring to the World War II-era research and development program to produce nuclear weapons.
Together, Musk and Ramaswamy will 性视界传媒減rovide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.性视界传媒
Musk 性视界传媒 who donated $75 million to Trump性视界传媒檚 campaign 性视界传媒 said Thursday that DOGE will 性视界传媒渟end shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!性视界传媒
Musk and Ramaswamy性视界传媒檚 tenure would run until July 4, 2026.
性视界传媒淎 smaller Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence,性视界传媒 Trump said. 性视界传媒淚 am confident they will succeed!性视界传媒
Homeland Security secretary
In a move that further signals Trump性视界传媒檚 commitment to enforce stringent controls on illegal immigration, the president-elect confirmed Tuesday he planned to appoint South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Noem, 52, a Trump loyalist who has offered firm backing for the GOP leader性视界传媒檚 promise to carry out mass deportations, will preside over a vast department that oversees multiple agencies, including the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The department has more than 260,000 employees and a $60 billion budget.
After Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, Noem was asked how a Trump administration would carry out his plan to deport millions of immigrants who entered the country illegally.
性视界传媒淚t is going to be a big operation,性视界传媒 she told NewsNation. 性视界传媒淧resident Trump has already indicated that he wants to start by deporting the most dangerous first 性视界传媒 those criminals, murderers, rapists that are threatening safety in our communities. They性视界传媒檙e going to be the first ones on the list to go. And from there, yes, it性视界传媒檚 a commitment, but it性视界传媒檚 a commitment to our national security interests.性视界传媒
Noem, who Trump once considered as a possible running mate, signaled the new GOP administration would eventually target immigrants who had not committed crimes after arriving in the U.S.
性视界传媒淲hen they came into our country, let性视界传媒檚 all remember: The first thing they did was break the law,性视界传媒 she said.
A rancher, farmer and business owner, Noem is serving her second four-year term as governor of South Dakota. In 2018, she was elected the first woman to take on the role after running on a platform of protecting South Dakotans against tax increases and big government.
Even before Noem became governor, she expressed support for Trump性视界传媒檚 immigration clampdown.
In 2017, when Noem was a U.S. representative for South Dakota, she expressed support for Trump性视界传媒檚 性视界传媒淢uslim ban,性视界传媒 an executive order that temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee program and imposed a 90-day ban on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries.
性视界传媒淢y first priority is the safety and security of the American people,性视界传媒 Noem said in a statement. 性视界传媒淚 share the President性视界传媒檚 concerns about our ability to screen refugees 性视界传媒 especially those from terrorist hotbed areas. I support putting a temporary pause on accepting refugees from terrorist-held areas 性视界传媒 at least until the administration can certify that asylum-seekers do not present a safety threat to the U.S.性视界传媒
After Biden won the White House, Noem was quick to voice opposition to his administration性视界传媒檚 handling of the rising number of migrants crossing the southern border.
性视界传媒淪outh Dakota won性视界传媒檛 be taking any illegal immigrants that the Biden Administration wants to relocate,性视界传媒 Noem wrote on X, formerly Twitter, in 2021. 性视界传媒淢y message to illegal immigrants ... call me when you性视界传媒檙e an American.性视界传媒
In recent years, Noem sent multiple National Guard deployments to Texas to help secure its border with Mexico. In January, Noem said her administration was considering sending additional razor wire and security personnel.
性视界传媒淭he United States of America is in a time of invasion,性视界传媒 Noem said in a speech to South Dakota legislators. 性视界传媒淭he invasion is coming over our southern border. The 50 states have a common enemy, and that enemy is the Mexican drug cartels. They are waging war against our nation. And these cartels are perpetuating violence in each of our states, even right here in South Dakota.性视界传媒
Secretary of State
Trump will nominate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for secretary of State.
Rubio, 53, is the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the second-ranking GOP member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rubio began in Congress as a hawkish internationalist but has recalibrated his position to be in step with Trump性视界传媒檚 性视界传媒淎merica First性视界传媒 foreign policies.
In April, Rubio voted against giving Ukraine nearly $61 billion in additional defense assistance and economic aid as part of the national security supplemental law.
Rubio, previously a candidate to be Trump性视界传媒檚 vice presidential pick, called the foreign assistance legislation to aid Ukraine, as well as Israel and Taiwan, 性视界传媒渓egislative blackmail性视界传媒 because the broader measure didn性视界传媒檛 include a border control measure. But Rubio voted against an earlier version of the supplemental in February 2024 that did include a bipartisan border security compromise measure after Trump opposed it.
Rubio, who has publicly speculated about Russian President Vladimir Putin性视界传媒檚 mental health and called him a 性视界传媒渂utcher,性视界传媒 has made a particularly dramatic turn since the 2016 GOP presidential primary when he mocked Trump性视界传媒檚 inherited wealth and business bankruptcies and rebuked his isolationist views.
性视界传媒淵ou don性视界传媒檛 have to be fan of Vladimir Putin to want the war to end,性视界传媒 Rubio said in an interview with NBC性视界传媒檚 性视界传媒淭oday性视界传媒 show after Trump性视界传媒檚 win last week. 性视界传媒淚 think the Ukrainians have been incredibly brave and strong in standing up to Russia, but at the end of the day, what we are funding here is a stalemate war that needs to be brought to a conclusion because that country is going to be set back 100 years.性视界传媒
A former Florida House speaker, Rubio rode to the Senate on the 2010 Tea Party wave. Once there, he differentiated himself not as a fiscal hawk but as a foreign policy specialist and a neoconservative. His years of bipartisan work on the Intelligence and Foreign Relations panels are expected to make for a smooth Senate confirmation process.
Senate Foreign Relations Democrats are expected to be relieved to have a familiar face leading Foggy Bottom and representing the U.S. around the world amid global uncertainty over what a second Trump presidency means for the regional alliances that the Biden administration worked to rebuild and expand after Trump性视界传媒檚 turbulent first administration.
Since Trump left office, Rubio has championed legislation to limit the executive branch性视界传媒檚 options regarding Russia. He co-sponsored with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a provision in the fiscal 2024 national defense authorization law that forbids Trump or any U.S. president from withdrawing from NATO without approval by a two-thirds Senate vote or an act of Congress. And he has introduced multiple Russia sanctions bills this Congress.
But Rubio性视界传媒檚 hawkish stances are most closely associated with China. He opted to specialize in the country years before many of his GOP colleagues concluded that Beijing posed the most serious long-term strategic threat to U.S. interests. He has sponsored over 50 China-related bills in the current Congress.
Rubio, who is Cuban American, would be the first Hispanic secretary of State. He has long been the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Western Hemisphere subcommittee and has used that perch to argue against relaxation of the trade embargo on Cuba and for strong sanctions against Venezuela.
Attorney general
Trump has nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as U.S. attorney general, a surprising and highly controversial pick that could set up a confirmation battle in the Senate as the congressman continues to battle accusations of illicit drug use and sex trafficking.
A far-right firebrand, Gaetz spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election and falsely blamed antifa activists for the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
He opposed efforts to investigate ties between Trump性视界传媒檚 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government, and criticized Trump性视界传媒檚 first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, for allowing the probe to continue.
Last year, Gaetz性视界传媒檚 congressional office said that a Justice Department investigation into his alleged involvement in sex trafficking ended without charges.
But a bipartisan investigation in the House Ethics Committee into his activities remains ongoing. In June, the committee issued a statement that the allegations against him 性视界传媒渕erit continued review性视界传媒 and noted that new allegations had emerged that warranted investigation.
Announcing the pick, Trump called Gaetz a 性视界传媒渄eeply gifted and tenacious attorney who will 性视界传媒渇ocus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice.性视界传媒
性视界传媒淔ew issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System. Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans性视界传媒 badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,性视界传媒 Trump wrote.
