Elon Musk should improve his management efficiency. Image: trapezoid
Fresh off his election, Donald Trump has already begun filling out his cabinet. Those selected are primarily Republican hardliners and close allies. During Trump's first term, he was notable for high staff turnover. It remains to be seen who will actually occupy the White House alongside the future president.
This list is not yet complete and will be updated continuously.
chief of staff
Future chiefs of staff don't like being in the spotlight. Image: trapezoid
- Will: Donald Trump is making one of his longest-serving employees the second most important person in the White House, along with Susan Wiles. The 67-year-old will be the first woman to hold the position.
- Task: The future chief of staff will lead the White House staff, organize the President of the United States' schedule and be responsible for communicating with other branches of government as well as senators and representatives. Chiefs of staff wield enormous influence—they decide who the president talks to and spends his time with.
- Previous job: Susan Wiles is a longtime Republican strategist. Not only did she manage Donald Trump's campaign, she also worked for prominent Republicans including Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“Border Czar”
Tom Homan is a former police officer and border guard.Image: trapezoid
- Will: Tom Homan
- Task: Homan will take charge of U.S. border affairs starting in January 2025. This goes hand-in-hand with deporting immigrants – one of Trump’s core concerns. BTW: Trump declared the immigration commissioner a “border czar” on “Truth Society.” The office has no official name.
- Note: The hard-liner served as head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency ICE from 2017 to 2018 during Trump's first term. He is considered a pioneer of the “zero tolerance” policy, which led to the separation of more than 2,000 families in 2018. He hopes to continue that approach and even intensify it: There will be more deportations this time, he told Fox News. He is also said to be involved in “Project 2025”.
deputy chief of staff for political strategy
His loyalty to Trump has also paid off.Image: trapezoid
- Will: Stephen Miller
- Task: It's unclear exactly what Miller's responsibilities will include. He is likely to play a leading role in developing and implementing Trump’s immigration agenda. What is certain is that he will have broad powers in his new office.
- Note: Miller is one of the incoming president's closest and longest-serving advisers. He was also involved in the much-criticized family separations during Trump's final term. In 2021, he founded the conservative organization “America First Law” to specifically deal with so-called “woke” companies. The group has filed lawsuits against Disney, Nike, Mattel, Hershey's, United Airlines and the National Football League for allegedly discriminating against white people.
United Nations Ambassador
The 40-year-old was considered a moderate Republican before becoming a Trump fan. Image: trapezoid
- Will: Elise Stefanik
- Task: The New York congresswoman will represent Trump's “America First” policies at the United Nations.
- Note: At 30, the Harvard graduate became the youngest woman elected to the House of Representatives in U.S. history. She has been critical of where she will work in the past. Among other things, she described the United Nations as a “haven of anti-Semitism.”
director of environmental protection bureau
For future heads of environmental agencies, climate may not seem that important.Image: trapezoid
- Will: Lizeldin
- Task: One of his first priorities may be to dismantle Biden's climate initiative. For example, he introduced vehicle emissions regulations and sought to reduce environmental pollution from power plants and oil and gas producers. However, as Zeldin announced to Fox News, his focus will be on economic prosperity. As head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), he will maintain “the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on Earth.” At the same time, he and Donald Trump hope to regain “energy dominance,” revive the auto industry and make the United States a global leader in artificial intelligence.
- Note: During his time as a member of Congress, he ranked last on climate friendliness. The League of Conservation Voters analyzed the environmental votes of members of the New York delegation in Congress. The 2020 delegation, made up mostly of Democrats, received 86% of the vote, while Zeldin, a Republican, came in last with 24% of the vote. His lifetime score is just 14%. He is also a close ally of Trump and was a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago during the campaign.
national security adviser
Walz is known for his tough foreign policy stances. Image: trapezoid
- Will: Mike Waltz
- Task: Walz will be responsible for briefing Trump on key national security issues and coordinating efforts with various agencies. The National Security Advisor is the president's senior adviser and has significant influence on foreign and security policy.
- Note: Green Berets, elite soldiers and veterans of the special forces, are the governor of Florida. Trump said of him that Walz, like him, puts America first and is an expert on threats from China, Russia and Iran. He is known for his tough stance on China and Ukraine. He has repeatedly pointed out that in his opinion, the United States is poorly prepared for possible aggression by China, especially against Taiwan. Defense spending must therefore be increased.
chief (newly created) efficiency department
Vivek Ramaswamy originally ran for president himself, but later dropped out and supported Donald Trump.Image: trapezoid
- Will: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy
- Task: Eliminate government bureaucracy, deregulate, cut wasteful spending, and reorganize federal agencies. This is what Donald Trump wrote in a statement. “DOGE” (Department of Government Effectiveness) will work outside the government with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to ensure the government is run as an entrepreneur. Specifically, they want to eliminate “massive waste and fraud” from $6.5 trillion in annual government spending.
- Note: Musk should be widely known. He donated $120 million to Trump's campaign and was once again highly praised by Trump. As a representative of efficiency, it remains to be seen what he plans to do with the billions in government spending for his own companies, Tesla and SpaceX. The ongoing investigation into Tesla by the U.S. Transportation Safety Administration NHTSA may also create obstacles.
Musk’s new colleague, Vivek Ramaswamy, seems less preoccupied but fits in seamlessly with the rest of the cabinet ideologically: The 38-year-old entrepreneur paints himself as opposed to “ A fighter for “wokeism” and other “left-wing ideologies.”
These names also appear…
- Fox News host Pete Hegseth could become defense secretary.
- Senator Marco Rubio of Florida is likely to become secretary of state.
- Trump wants to appoint John Ratcliffe as CIA director. He is a former U.S. intelligence coordinator.
- Kristi Noem will lead the Department of Homeland Security, which will play a central role in deporting undocumented immigrants.
- Mike Huckabee will serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He supported settlement building.
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