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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Tracking Trump cabinet confirmations – so far | Tracking Trump cabinet confirmations – so far |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Donald Trump’s picks for top posts in his administration have tested the loyalty of Senate Republicans | Donald Trump’s picks for top posts in his administration have tested the loyalty of Senate Republicans |
| Senate confirmation hearings are under way for Donald Trump’s cabinet nominations. | Senate confirmation hearings are under way for Donald Trump’s cabinet nominations. |
| All cabinet-level positions require a majority vote of senators to be approved. With a current 53-seat Republican majority, Trump’s more fraught nominees can only afford to lose three Republican senators, assuming Democrats are uniformly opposed. | All cabinet-level positions require a majority vote of senators to be approved. With a current 53-seat Republican majority, Trump’s more fraught nominees can only afford to lose three Republican senators, assuming Democrats are uniformly opposed. |
| Marco Rubio was the first cabinet appointee to win confirmation, skating through with a unanimous vote in his favor. John Ratcliffe, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem, have also secured confirmation, with Hegseth requiring Vice-President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote. | Marco Rubio was the first cabinet appointee to win confirmation, skating through with a unanimous vote in his favor. John Ratcliffe, Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem, have also secured confirmation, with Hegseth requiring Vice-President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote. |
| Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Kristi Noem | Kristi Noem |
| Role offered: Homeland security secretary | Role offered: Homeland security secretary |
| Confirmed by the Senate on 25 January | Confirmed by the Senate on 25 January |
| Trump selected South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem – a staunch ally who has little experience on the national security stage – to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She will oversee everything from border protection and immigration to disaster response and the US Secret Service. | Trump selected South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem – a staunch ally who has little experience on the national security stage – to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. She will oversee everything from border protection and immigration to disaster response and the US Secret Service. |
| Noem was confirmed on 25 January. | Noem was confirmed on 25 January. |
| Pete Hegseth | Pete Hegseth |
| Role offered: Secretary of defense | Role offered: Secretary of defense |
| Confirmed by the Senate on 24 January | Confirmed by the Senate on 24 January |
| Trump nominated the former Fox News host and army veteran Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary, a surprise decision that stunned the Pentagon. | Trump nominated the former Fox News host and army veteran Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary, a surprise decision that stunned the Pentagon. |
| During his hearing, Democrats asked Hegseth pointed questions about allegations of sexual misconduct and claims that he was frequently intoxicated in the workplace when he led two different non-profit organizations. Democratic senators and several Republicans expressed concerns that he was not qualified to lead the country’s largest government agency. | During his hearing, Democrats asked Hegseth pointed questions about allegations of sexual misconduct and claims that he was frequently intoxicated in the workplace when he led two different non-profit organizations. Democratic senators and several Republicans expressed concerns that he was not qualified to lead the country’s largest government agency. |
| He was confirmed in a late-night vote on 24 January, with a tie-breaking vote from JD Vance. | He was confirmed in a late-night vote on 24 January, with a tie-breaking vote from JD Vance. |
| John Ratcliffe | John Ratcliffe |
| Role: CIA director | Role: CIA director |
| Confirmed by the Senate on 23 January | Confirmed by the Senate on 23 January |
| Trump loyalist John Ratcliffe previously served as director of national intelligence during the final months of the president’s first term. | Trump loyalist John Ratcliffe previously served as director of national intelligence during the final months of the president’s first term. |
| Ratcliffe was confirmed by the Senate on 23 January in a 74-25 vote, with 20 Democrats and one independent joining Republicans in backing the nomination. | Ratcliffe was confirmed by the Senate on 23 January in a 74-25 vote, with 20 Democrats and one independent joining Republicans in backing the nomination. |
| Marco Rubio | Marco Rubio |
| Role: Secretary of state | Role: Secretary of state |
| Confirmed by the Senate on 20 January | Confirmed by the Senate on 20 January |
| Senator Marco Rubio, 53, was confirmed as the first Latino to serve as secretary of state on 20 January. It was widely expected Rubio would secure confirmation, as senators largely viewed him as one of the least controversial of Trump’s cabinet picks. | Senator Marco Rubio, 53, was confirmed as the first Latino to serve as secretary of state on 20 January. It was widely expected Rubio would secure confirmation, as senators largely viewed him as one of the least controversial of Trump’s cabinet picks. |
| Rubio received 99 votes, becoming the first member of Trump’s cabinet to win Senate approval. | Rubio received 99 votes, becoming the first member of Trump’s cabinet to win Senate approval. |
| Not yet confirmed | Not yet confirmed |
| Pam Bondi | Pam Bondi |
| Role offered: Attorney general | Role offered: Attorney general |
| Pam Bondi, the first female attorney general of Florida and a lawyer for Trump during his first impeachment trial, replaced the president’s first pick, Matt Gaetz, to head the justice department. | Pam Bondi, the first female attorney general of Florida and a lawyer for Trump during his first impeachment trial, replaced the president’s first pick, Matt Gaetz, to head the justice department. |
| At her 15 January hearing, Bondi, 59, insisted she would ensure the justice department would remain independent. At the same time, she failed to say that Trump lost the 2020 election. | At her 15 January hearing, Bondi, 59, insisted she would ensure the justice department would remain independent. At the same time, she failed to say that Trump lost the 2020 election. |
| Doug Collins | Doug Collins |
| Role offered: Veterans affairs secretary | Role offered: Veterans affairs secretary |
| Doug Collins, the former Georgia representative who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was nominated by Trump to be secretary of veterans affairs. | Doug Collins, the former Georgia representative who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, was nominated by Trump to be secretary of veterans affairs. |
| During his 22 January hearing, Collins pledged to “take care of the veterans” should he succeed in the confirmation process. | During his 22 January hearing, Collins pledged to “take care of the veterans” should he succeed in the confirmation process. |
| Elise Stefanik | Elise Stefanik |
| Role offered: UN ambassador | Role offered: UN ambassador |
| The New York representative Elise Stefanik was selected by Trump to be the ambassador to the UN. Floated as a possible Trump running mate, Stefanik is the highest-ranking woman in the Republican conference in the House of Representatives. | |
| During her confirmation hearing, Stefanik endorsed Israeli claims of biblical rights to the entire West Bank, aligning herself with positions that could complicate diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. | During her confirmation hearing, Stefanik endorsed Israeli claims of biblical rights to the entire West Bank, aligning herself with positions that could complicate diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. |
| Russ Vought | Russ Vought |
| Role offered: Office of management and budget chief | Role offered: Office of management and budget chief |
| OMB chief during Trump’s first term in office, Russ Vought has been deeply involved in Project 2025. | OMB chief during Trump’s first term in office, Russ Vought has been deeply involved in Project 2025. |
| During a 15 January hearing, Vought declined to fully commit to distributing congressionally approved funds, specifically US military aid to Ukraine. | During a 15 January hearing, Vought declined to fully commit to distributing congressionally approved funds, specifically US military aid to Ukraine. |
| Brooke Rollins | Brooke Rollins |
| Role offered: Agriculture secretary | Role offered: Agriculture secretary |
| If confirmed, Brooke Rollins would lead a 100,000-person agency that would carry out an agenda with implications for American diets and wallets, both urban and rural. | If confirmed, Brooke Rollins would lead a 100,000-person agency that would carry out an agenda with implications for American diets and wallets, both urban and rural. |
| Rollins was president of America First Policy Institute, a group helping lay the groundwork for Trump’s second administration. | Rollins was president of America First Policy Institute, a group helping lay the groundwork for Trump’s second administration. |
| Sean Duffy | Sean Duffy |
| Role offered: Secretary of transportation | Role offered: Secretary of transportation |
| Trump named Sean Duffy, a former Republican congressman and co-host on Fox Business, to serve as the secretary of transportation. That role oversees aviation, automotive, rail, transit and other transportation policies and a budget of about $110bn. | Trump named Sean Duffy, a former Republican congressman and co-host on Fox Business, to serve as the secretary of transportation. That role oversees aviation, automotive, rail, transit and other transportation policies and a budget of about $110bn. |
| He appeared before the Senate on 15 January. | He appeared before the Senate on 15 January. |
| Chris Wright | Chris Wright |
| Role offered: Energy secretary | Role offered: Energy secretary |
| Trump named Chris Wright, an oil and gas industry executive with no political experience, to lead the US Department of Energy. | Trump named Chris Wright, an oil and gas industry executive with no political experience, to lead the US Department of Energy. |
| During a 15 January confirmation hearing, Wright faced criticism for disputing the ties between climate change and more frequent or severe wildfires, and for calling wildfire concerns “hype” and dismissing their connection to climate policies. | During a 15 January confirmation hearing, Wright faced criticism for disputing the ties between climate change and more frequent or severe wildfires, and for calling wildfire concerns “hype” and dismissing their connection to climate policies. |
| Doug Burgum | Doug Burgum |
| Role offered: Interior secretary | Role offered: Interior secretary |
| Trump named Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, as his pick for secretary of the interior. | Trump named Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, as his pick for secretary of the interior. |
| Lee Zeldin | Lee Zeldin |
| Role offered: Environmental Protection Agency administrator | Role offered: Environmental Protection Agency administrator |
| Trump named the former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin said he would work to “restore American energy dominance”. | Trump named the former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin said he would work to “restore American energy dominance”. |
| Scott Turner | Scott Turner |
| Role offered: Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary | Role offered: Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary |
| Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. | Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. |
| Scott Bessent | Scott Bessent |
| Role offered: Treasury secretary | Role offered: Treasury secretary |
| Trump named Scott Bessent, a prominent Wall Street investor and Trump fundraiser, to be his nominee for treasury secretary. He has praised Trump for using tariffs as a negotiating tool. | Trump named Scott Bessent, a prominent Wall Street investor and Trump fundraiser, to be his nominee for treasury secretary. He has praised Trump for using tariffs as a negotiating tool. |
| Howard Lutnick | Howard Lutnick |
| Role offered: Commerce secretary | Role offered: Commerce secretary |
| Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, co-chair of his transition team, to be his commerce secretary. Lutnick has uniformly praised the president-elect’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs. | Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, co-chair of his transition team, to be his commerce secretary. Lutnick has uniformly praised the president-elect’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs. |
| Lori Chavez-DeRemer | Lori Chavez-DeRemer |
| Role offered: Labor secretary | Role offered: Labor secretary |
| Trump tapped the Oregon Republican for labor secretary, a position that would oversee the department’s workforce and its budget, and would put forth priorities that affect workers’ wages, health and safety, the ability to unionize and employers’ rights to fire workers, among other responsibilities. | Trump tapped the Oregon Republican for labor secretary, a position that would oversee the department’s workforce and its budget, and would put forth priorities that affect workers’ wages, health and safety, the ability to unionize and employers’ rights to fire workers, among other responsibilities. |
| Robert F Kennedy Jr | Robert F Kennedy Jr |
| Role offered: Secretary of health and human services | Role offered: Secretary of health and human services |
| Trump has named Robert F Kennedy Jr his secretary of health and human services. In a statement, Trump said Kennedy would protect Americans from “harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives” that have caused a health crisis. | Trump has named Robert F Kennedy Jr his secretary of health and human services. In a statement, Trump said Kennedy would protect Americans from “harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives” that have caused a health crisis. |
| Linda McMahon | Linda McMahon |
| Role offered: Education secretary | Role offered: Education secretary |
| Trump named Linda McMahon, co-chair of his transition team, his pick for education secretary. Trump, who previously promised to dismantle the Department of Education, said McMahon would work to “expand ‘choice’” across the US and send education “back to the states”. | Trump named Linda McMahon, co-chair of his transition team, his pick for education secretary. Trump, who previously promised to dismantle the Department of Education, said McMahon would work to “expand ‘choice’” across the US and send education “back to the states”. |
| Tulsi Gabbard | Tulsi Gabbard |
| Role offered: National intelligence director | Role offered: National intelligence director |
| Trump announced Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat, as his nominee for director of national intelligence. | Trump announced Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat, as his nominee for director of national intelligence. |
| Jamieson Greer | Jamieson Greer |
| Role offered: US trade representative | Role offered: US trade representative |
| Trump lauded Jamieson Greer for his role enacting the USMCA, a revamped trade pact between the US, Mexico and Canada, and imposing tariffs on China. If confirmed, Greer will be tasked with reining in the trade deficit and opening up “export markets everywhere”. | Trump lauded Jamieson Greer for his role enacting the USMCA, a revamped trade pact between the US, Mexico and Canada, and imposing tariffs on China. If confirmed, Greer will be tasked with reining in the trade deficit and opening up “export markets everywhere”. |
| Kelly Loeffler | Kelly Loeffler |
| Role offered: administrator of the Small Business Administration | Role offered: administrator of the Small Business Administration |
| Trump named former senator Kelly Loeffler to head the Small Business Administration. He said she will use her business experience to “reduce red tape” and “unleash opportunity” for small businesses. | Trump named former senator Kelly Loeffler to head the Small Business Administration. He said she will use her business experience to “reduce red tape” and “unleash opportunity” for small businesses. |
| Mehmet Oz | Mehmet Oz |
| Role offered: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator | Role offered: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator |
| Trump tapped Dr Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, adding that he would work closely with Robert F Kennedy Jr. | Trump tapped Dr Mehmet Oz to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, adding that he would work closely with Robert F Kennedy Jr. |
| Brendan Carr | Brendan Carr |
| Role offered: Chair of the Federal Communications Commission | Role offered: Chair of the Federal Communications Commission |
| Trump tapped Brendan Carr to be the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, the independent agency that regulates telecommunications. | Trump tapped Brendan Carr to be the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, the independent agency that regulates telecommunications. |
| In a statement, Trump said Carr “is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy”. | In a statement, Trump said Carr “is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy”. |
| Kash Patel | Kash Patel |
| Role offered: FBI director | Role offered: FBI director |
| Trump nominated the “deep state” critic Kash Patel to be FBI director. He has called for leadership of the federal law enforcement agency to be fired as part of a drive to bring federal law enforcement “to heel”. | Trump nominated the “deep state” critic Kash Patel to be FBI director. He has called for leadership of the federal law enforcement agency to be fired as part of a drive to bring federal law enforcement “to heel”. |