Who could be chosen for Donald Trump’s next cabinet? List of top contenders

Now that Donald Trump won the 2024 elections, the race for his cabinet continues.

Multiple media outlets have reported that people are already discussing the names of those who will fill key roles in a second Trump administration, and that the president-elect’s transition team is rushing to put together a shortlist after Trump defeated the vice president. Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s election.

Here is a list of key contenders and their roles in the second Trump administration, according to recent media reports:

Brooke Rollins

Brooke Rollins is a close ally of the president-elect and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. Rollins is a contender to become Trump’s next White House chief of staff and was previously a White House domestic policy adviser. Guardian reported. She is considered one of Trump’s most moderate allies.

Susie Wiles

She is also a contender for chief of staff, according to Susie Wiles, Trump’s 2024 campaign manager. Wall Street Journal. Wiles joined the Trump campaign after previously working in Florida Ron DeSantis» unsuccessful race in 2024, and many believe she played a key role in helping Trump win the White House for a second time.

Mike Pompeo

Mike Pompeo served as Secretary of State and CIA director during the first Trump administration. According to Trump, in the second Trump White House, Pompeo could become the main contender for the post of Secretary of Defense. Magazine.

Richard Grenell

Richard Grenell has long been one of Trump’s staunchest allies and is considered a top candidate for a range of national security and foreign policy positions. New York Times reported that Grenell, who was Trump’s ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, had wanted to become Trump’s secretary of state since the end of Election Day 2020. Grenell could also join Trump’s next cabinet as his national security adviser, according to the report Magazine.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Trump said that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will play a leading role in health care, but it is unclear what its position will be. Kennedy, who espouses anti-vaccination conspiracy theories, is said to be in the running to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, but Guardian reported that several senior Trump campaign members had ruled it out.

CNN reported that some Trump advisers are concerned about whether Kennedy will be able to obtain the security clearance needed to become a Cabinet-confirmed official. Instead, the report says, Kennedy and Trump’s teams have recently talked about him being a czar official in the Trump administration who has frequent access to the president.

Trump, for his part, said Kennedy would have carte blanche to “do what he wants” with women’s health and could generally “go crazy with health.”

Robert Lighthizer

Robert Lighthizer was Trump’s top trade representative in his first administration, and the president-elect called Lighthizer the “greatest” trade representative in U.S. history. He may be taken on this role again, but according to Magazine, he may also have a chance to get the role of finance minister.

Lighthizer faces fierce competition for the latter position; Trump is also reportedly weighing in republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Jay Clayton, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CNN reported Lighthizer is also a possible contender for chief of staff Wednesday.

Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio, a Republican senator from Florida, has become one of Trump’s key supporters. Senate after losing the 2016 Republican primaries to Trump. He took a tough stance on China and was also Trump’s running mate before the president-elect ultimately chose the U.S. senator. JD Vance Ohio.

According to the publication, Rubio was discussed as a possible contender for the post of Secretary of State. Magazine And CNN.

John Ratcliffe

John Ratcliffe, a former U.S. Representative from Texas, was also a staunch Trump supporter on Capitol Hill and led republicansDefending Trump during the Russia investigation and his first impeachment in 2019.

Trump later nominated Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence in 2020. On Wednesday, Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News reported that the president-elect is considering nominating Ratcliffe to be CIA director in his next administration, and CNN confirmed that Ratcliffe’s name has been mentioned on other lists. government positions in national security or intelligence.

Elon Musk

Elon Musk took to the mat campaigning for Trump in the final weeks leading up to Election Day, calling himself a “dark MAGA” and a “dark, gothic MAGA” at Trump rallies before the election.

It’s unclear what role, if any, Musk will play in a second Trump administration, but SpaceX The CEO said he would like to see the creation of a Department of Government Effectiveness.

Trump has signaled at least some openness to the idea of ​​Musk leading spending cuts across the federal government. “He really wants to do it,” Trump said of Musk in an October interview with the publication. Fox News. “You know, he’s actually a great businessman… and he’s great at cutting costs… and he said, ‘I could cut costs without affecting anyone.’