A Guide To President Donald Trump’s Cabinet
Graphic created by Megan Silva
With a new president comes a new Cabinet, here’s what you need to know about the members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
With a new presidential term underway it is important to stay informed not only on the president, but also their Cabinet. The Cabinet is composed of the vice president as well as the heads of 15 executive departments; each member plays a very important role within the United States Government. This article serves as a brief overview of the members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet (In order of succession) alongside what their jobs will be for the next four years.
The ultimate goal of this list, although succinct, is to provide an understanding of the Cabinet positions themselves in addition to some insight into the practices and ideologies of those who might be serving on the Cabinet for the next four years.
Secretary of State: Marco Rubio (R)
Prior to his nomination for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio represented Florida in the senate, serving on the Foreign Relations Committee. Rubio’s job as Secretary of State will be to oversee America’s foreign affairs as well as advise the President on foreign relations. Considering the United States’ impact on world politics and how important foreign relations are to the economy and overall success of this country, the position Rubio will hold is not one to be taken lightly.
In order to get a better understanding of what Rubio might do as Secretary of State, we can take a look at Rubio’s position on America’s international relations. Rubio has taken a similar stance to Trump on China, testifying during his confirmation hearing that the country is America’s “most potent and dangerous near peer adversary” (C-SPAN). Alongside Donald Trump, the Former Senator has taken an ‘America First’ stance on foreign policy, planning to place “our core national interest above all else” during his time as Secretary of State.
Secretary of the Treasury: Scott Bessent (R)
Before being nominated for Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent was most known for his donations to the Trump Campaign. According to Forbes, Bessent has donated an “estimated $3 million” (Saul) to the Trump campaign and other Republican organizations. As Secretary of the Treasury, he will serve as an advisor to the president on economic and tax policy. Bessent will also oversee the Social Security and Medicare trust funds as well as many other financial institutions in the government.
Bessent testified in his confirmation hearing that he had plans to get rid of the government debt ceiling and reiterated his agreement with Trump’s proposed tax policies, which, if enacted, will provide Americans in the top 5% with the largest tax cuts.
Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth (R)
Most known for his position as a political commentator for Fox News, Pete Hegseth is a former Army National Guard Officer and will be in charge of the Defense Department which includes the Army, Navy, Air Force, and more. Like many other Cabinet members, Hegseth would serve as chief policymaker and advisor to the president.
Hegseth’s confirmation as Secretary of Defense has become controversial due in part to past statements claiming women are less effective in the military and his staunch stance against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices in recruitment. Hegseth testified during his confirmation hearing that “this is not a time for equity” (C-SPAN), stating that instead the military should focus on equality.
Attorney General: Pam Bondi (R)
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi also represented Donald Trump during his impeachment trial prior to her nomination as Attorney General. As Attorney General, Bondi’s role will consist of leading the Department of Justice, representing the United States in court, advising the president concerning judicial matters, and much more.
Bondi claims that she will take a stance of accountability during her time as Attorney General, but a lot is left unclear as many questions were left unanswered during her confirmation hearing.
Secretary of the Interior: Doug Burgum (R)
Former Governor of North Dakota, Doug Burgam will be responsible for managing federal land if confirmed as Secretary of the Interior. Alongside the management of federal land the Secretary of Interior is also responsible for natural resource management, including our oil and water supply.
Burgum questioned the reliability of renewable energy during his confirmation hearing, instead stating a need for the U.S. to no longer be reliant on other countries for energy and implying that the usage of fossil fuels will be encouraged if not expanded.
Secretary of Agriculture: Brooke Rollins (R)
Brooke Rollins is the CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a company founded during Trump’s first term that works to promote Trump’s policies. If confirmed as the Secretary of Agriculture, Rollins will oversee the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), food policy, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provides many low-income Americans with funds to purchase groceries.
Rollins' position is important not only because the United States is a major agricultural exporter, but also due to the Trump Administration's claims that they will protect American farmers. Rollins could be the make or break decision on whether or not the Trump Administration decides to follow through with this promise or put it on the backburner.
Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick (R)
CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Group and Trump Campaign Donor, Howard Lutnick is the current nominee for Secretary of Commerce. In his position as Secretary of Commerce, he would work with the president in any and all matters involving international trade and the advancement of economic growth. With the addition of Lutnick and Bessent, Trump’s cabinet would be the wealthiest in American history, favoring Wall Street investors over the banker or economist that has been seen in recent years.
Secretary of Labor: Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R)
Lori Chavez-DeRemer is currently serving one term as an Oregon Representative, and if confirmed as Secretary of Labor, would be in charge of labor laws, unions, and ensuring that working conditions for all Americans are safe. During her time in the Senate, Chavez-DeRemer was often one of the few Republicans to support unions, backing the PRO Act which would make federal unionization easier.
While Chavez-DeRemer herself has taken a pro-union stance, these policies and ideas may clash with the business-heavy stance of the rest of the Cabinet as well as the entire Trump Administration. Chavez-DeRemer also seems to be one of the few cabinet nominees that has gained favor with democrats as well as republicans. According to an article from The Atlantic, some democratic senators have issued “cautiously optimistic” (Berman) statements about Chavez-DeRemer.
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (I)
Before his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was also on the 2024 presidential ticket as the Independent candidate. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kennedy will lead many important U.S. organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and more.
Kennedy has become a very controversial pick due to his known belief and promotion of many conspiracy theories including theories such as: 5G networks causing cancer, Fluoride causing disease, believing that mass shootings are linked to prescription drug use, etc. (Dorn, Pastis). Kennedy is also staunchly anti-vaccine, holding the belief that vaccines cause autism (Dorn, Pastis) which could end up being at odds with bird-flu outbreaks happening in livestock across the United States.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Scott Turner (R)
Scott Turner is a former Texas Representative, serving from 2019-2021. If confirmed, his position as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development would be to prioritize the wellbeing of American citizens when it comes to affordable housing, urban planning and development, and homeownership.
Much of America is currently going through a homelessness crisis, and Turner’s actions as Secretary of HUD are vital to the American future and the Trump Administration. During his confirmation hearing, Turner committed to “having those conversations with the president…” (PBS NewsHour) in response to questions about advocating against budget cuts for HUD. However, it is unclear whether or not Turner will advocate for an increase in budget.
Secretary of Transportation: Sean Duffy (R)
Sean Duffy is a former Wisconsin Representative and is currently most known for his work as a Fox News contributor. As Secretary of Transportation, Duffy would lead the Department of Transportation, which maintains highways, railroads, and many other transportation systems in America.
Duffy testified that he plans to take a safety-first approach to American transportation. This includes safer air transportation, highways, and railways. Duffy also promised to focus on connecting rural communities via railways and to ensure that companies like Amtrak are provided with proper funding.
Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright (R)
Adding to the number of CEO’s on Trump’s Cabinet is Chris Wright. As Secretary of Energy, Wright would have a major responsibility in dealing with the United States’ nuclear weapons. He would also be in charge of addressing the environmental impacts of nuclear energy as well as dealing with energy-related challenges that the Department of Energy may face.
Wright testified during his confirmation hearing that climate change was a “global issue” and a “real issue.” (PBS NewsHour) This stance challenges Trump’s stance on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, claiming many times over the years that climate change is a “hoax.” It will be interesting to see how these positions work together or clash in the following four years and what this means for energy usage under the Trump Administration.
Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon (R)
Most known for being a co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Linda McMahon also served as administrator of the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first presidency. As Secretary of Education, McMahon would be leading the Department of Education. She would advise Trump on his education policies as well as ensure proper distribution of the DoE’s budget.
The Trump Administration along with Trump himself have made many claims that a goal for this term is to dismantle the Department of Education as a whole, McMahon claimed she would “certainly fall in with what the president's policy is” in a statement to ABC News. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of all undergraduates received some type of financial aid in the 2019-20 academic year.” The DoE is the department in charge of disbursing undergraduate financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins (R)
Former Georgia Representative Doug Collins will (if confirmed) be in charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs and will oversee the providing of health, education, disability, funerary, and financial benefits to Veterans.
In an X (FKA Twitter) post following his nomination, Collins stated that he will “fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they've earned.” Collins' time in the House does not tell us much about his politics relating to veterans affairs, but makes it clear that he (like most other Cabinet members) is a conservative.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem (R)
Kristi Noem is the current Governor of South Dakota and a former United States Representative. As Secretary of Homeland Security, Noem will lead the Department of Homeland Security and will be dealing with the overall security of the United States.
Most of Noem’s confirmation hearing was spent discussing how many organizations under her leadership need complete reshaping. Noem will be the main advisor for a lot of immigration policy and she, like Trump, believes that illegal immigration is perpetuating violent crime. Noem also said during her hearing that she would put back in place the Remain in Mexico policy, which would force asylum seekers from Mexico, who have credible fear of persecution in their country, to wait in Mexico before their asylum hearing.
Sources:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/the-cabinet/
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/16/nx-s1-5262458/trump-cabinet-picks-scott-bessent-confirmation-hearing
https://apnews.com/article/burgum-trump-interior-secretary-hearing-d6f7303bb2ee395b073dec0d798e608b
https://www.npr.org/2024/12/03/nx-s1-5198506/rfk-jr-anti-vaccine-chd-lawsuits
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/linda-mcmahons-chances-education-secretary/story?id=117278004
https://department.va.gov/about/
https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/7_26_2023.asp
https://www.youtube.com/live/NwLLCRI8usM?si=806Yrxrz9MyUAga6
https://www.youtube.com/live/r3sl7TtBUjI?si=0xXL-2P5d5jqlTpJ
https://www.youtube.com/live/0cxOu2Oy4nA?si=rD8ym4I9ZNPshd4K
https://www.youtube.com/live/mBO-2Qt9I2M?si=B8AXqM36H20bJ4sz