Eight years after Donald Trump initiated his first presidential term, the soon-to-be president is briskly putting together his subsequent White House squad. Leveraging the experience from his earlier administration, he’s planning to charge forth determinedly from the commencement of his presidency. Within only three weeks post his electoral triumph, Trump has revealed 21 out of his 24 Cabinet-level appointments and has placed several individuals in top-tier White House roles.
In stark contrast to his 2016 transition which lacked structure and included discarding his initial transition chair – the ex-Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie – this time, Trump has been proactive in team selection. The previous approach led to prolonged periods of vacancies across numerous crucial staff roles in federal bodies, well into Trump’s term. This current, accelerated pace of appointments marks a clear departure from his earlier methodology.
Key figures from Trump’s first term make a return to the rally. Names like Stephen Miller, who designed Trump’s large-scale deportation operations, Dan Scavino, a durable advisor to Trump, and Russell Vought, Trump’s nominee to head the potent Office of Management and Budget, are back.
It is noteworthy that at least 14 of the individuals nominated or selected for top-level White House positions or Cabinet posts have had official capacities in Trump’s first administration. This trend underscores the value Trump places on previously demonstrated loyalty and familiarity.
Nevertheless, there are fresh faces in Trump’s administrative council. They include everyone from the predicted White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for the secretary of Health and Human Services. These new additions are expected to bring varied perspectives to the table.
The wider Trump circle includes advisors who aren’t formally part of the government, but significantly influence its decision-making. One such name is Elon Musk, the billionaire tech tycoon, who is at the forefront of an enterprise aiming to restructure the federal bureaucracy.
In a podcast conversation, Trump confessed that his ‘biggest blunder’ during his first term in office was the selection of certain ‘disloyal individuals.’ He expressed regret over his decision to place specific individuals in crucial roles in his administration.
Unveiling his aggressive approach towards policy implementation, Trump announced a series of actions he intends to take on the first day of his presidency. Actions include placing tariffs on merchandise from Mexico and Canada, and products from China. He has vowed to act decisively, and without delay.
Included in his imminent agenda is his commitment to commence the deportation of undocumented migrants post his inauguration. Expected to lead this initiative is Stephen Miller, Trump’s lead advisor on immigration policy. He will hold the position of deputy chief of staff for policy in the forthcoming administration.
Russell Vought, previously associated with the Office of Management and Budget in Trump’s first term, returns to lead the same office. Advocating for a robust presidential mandate to oversee federal agencies operating independently of the White House, Vought aims to accomplish ‘pending tasks on behalf of the American citizens.’
Dan Scavino, one of Trump’s most reliable aides returns as the deputy chief of staff. Alongside him, Steven Cheung, who oversaw communications for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, will manage communications in the White House. White House Cabinet Secretary William McGinley, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt, both familiar faces from Trump’s first term, will reprise their roles respectively.
In addition to these, Sebastian Gorka, a known conservative commentator who had a role in Trump’s first term, has been given the responsibilities of deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism. This announcement came alongside the nomination of John Ratcliffe, the earlier Director of National Intelligence, as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Multiple other nominations include Matthew Whitaker for the role of U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Linda McMahon as Education Secretary, and Jamieson Greer as the U.S. Trade Representative. With James Braid returning as the Office of Legislative Affairs Director, Alex Latcham as the Public Liaison Director, and Kevin Hassett as the National Economic Council Director, Trump seems to blend the old guard with new members in his administration.