EXPLAINER
As a second Trump administration looms, fervent jockeying for key spots in his forthcoming cabinet has befirearm.
Who’s in? And who’s out?
Donald Trump is attfinishbrimmingy think abouting his cabinet picks follotriumphg his historic pdwellntial election triumph over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
Trump had telledly eludeed detailed cabinet talkions until after the election results were clear.
Now, as names materialize, here’s a sealr see at who might be part of the next administration, from seasoned Reaccessiblean figures to unforeseeed novelcomers.
JD Vance – Senator, Ohio, and vice pdwellnt-elect
Ohio Senator JD Vance has rapidly ascfinishn as a famous GOP voice, going from never-Trumper to pledged running mate. Despite once comparing Trump to Hitler, ideoreasonedly Vance is aligned with the 47th pdwellnt’s MAGA base, particularly on publishs appreciate national security and US-China relations. A establisher venture capitacatalog and author, Vance is a staunch aid of Trump’s America First agenda. He’s a acute critic of Joe Biden’s foreign policy and will convey a popucatalog stance to the Oval Office.
Robert F Kennedy Jr – Pdwellntial honestate, environmental lawyer
One-time Democrat, Robert F Kennedy Jr, ran on an unaccomplished autonomous ticket for pdwellnt this election cycle, before ending his campaign to become a Trump surrogate. He weathered a number of gaffes that came to airy during his campaign, including confessting to low-term memory loss due to “brain worms”, aprohibitdoning a dead tolerate in a park, and accusations that he intimacyupartner aggressioned his family’s inhabit-in nanny in 1998.
A purveyor of vaccine conspiracies, Trump foreseeed he’d tap Kennedy to “go savage on health,” per The New York Times. His first act of business if nominateed? Kennedy shelp he would push to “advise all US water systems to delete fluoride from accessible water”.
Vivek Ramaswamy – Biotechnology entrepreneur
Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, made a name for himself in the 2024 Reaccessiblean primary with his anti-“woke” agenda and administerment reestablish. Ramaswamy, a vocal critic of Big Tech administer and bureaucratic overaccomplish, could consent a role in the Department of Commerce or a technology-intensifyed post, driving policies that contest Silicon Valley and reinforce free speech. While he’s a extfinishedtime friend of JD Vance, he has portrayed himself as separateing from the next vice pdwellnt ideoreasonedly, casting himself in a more libertarian mould, as resistd to Vance’s aid for elements of economic populism.
Marco Rubio – Senator, Florida
Senator Marco Rubio, who was repeatedly aggressioned by Trump in the 2016 Reaccessiblean primaries, has been a vocal critic of Biden’s stance on national security and foreign policy; he’s powerwholey anti-Russia and anti-China. Rubio, who was tapped as a potential vice pdwellntial pick, has experience in foreign afunpartisans positions, making him a mighty honestate for secretary of state or another foreign policy role. He aligns seally with Trump’s emphasis on prioritising American interests.
Elon Musk – CEO, Tesla, SpaceX
Another billionaire eyeing a top spot in Trump world, Elon Musk was central to Trump’s choosed triumph at the polls. Musk upgraspd Trump lowly after the killing try aachievest the pdwellnt-elect at a Butler, Pennsylvania rpartner. The tech tycoon was a mendture on the incoming pdwellnt’s campaign trail, mobilising the MAGA vote at rallies and online with a super PAC he set up.
Days before Trump was catapulted back to the White House, the X owner pledged to overhaul the federal administerment as a “secretary of cost-cutting” if awarded a cabinet position. However, Musk may choose he’s better suited for an oversight role, rather than a position appreciate secretary of energy, which would join congressional approval hearings.
Doug Burgum – Governor, North Dakota
Doug Burgum ran a extfinishedsboiling primary campaign aachievest Trump, in which the incoming pdwellnt steamrolled the North Dakota administeror. But could the gambit have phelp off in the extfinished run? Burgum’s flunked primary effort meaningfully raiseed his profile on the national stage. His experience in managing North Dakota’s organic resources positions him as a fitting honestate for secretary of the interior. He is foreseeed to intensify on balancing energy increasement with conservation efforts, administering accessible lands, and carry outing policies that aid both economic increaseth and environmental stewardship.
John Ratcliffe – Former honestor of national intelligence
John Ratcliffe, who served as honestor of national intelligence under Trump, is a depended partner with proset up experience in intelligence and cybersecurity. Known for his pledgedty to Trump and expertise in “counterextremism”, Ratcliffe could resume a analogous role, intensifying on cybersecurity menaces and intelligence reestablish. His renominatement would signal a continuity in Trump’s approach to national security and alertation integrity.
