US President-elect Donald Trump made a series of key choices for his cabinet on Wednesday following his election victory over Kamala Harris, while other posts are still up for grabs.
Since Trump’s historic re-election, he has remained firmly in the limelight, with all eyes on his selection for the US cabinet of defense, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, immigration, and economic policymaking which will have diverse effects on American and international politics over the next four years, and beyond.
US Department of State
Trump appointed, on Wednesday, his former rival Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State. Rubio, who previously ran against Trump in the Republican presidential primary in 2016, is known for his “hawkish” foreign policy on countries such as China, Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela.
For example, Rubio has voted against allocating USD 95 billion in aid to Ukraine and has urged Kyiv to negotiate an end to its war with Russia.
This closely matches Trump’s opposition to US policy regarding Russia-Ukraine, which he said he could end in one day.
“They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And I’ll have that done—I’ll have that done in 24 hours,” he said in 2023.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Trump has also appointed former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Tom Homan to lead the agency once again starting January 20, 2025.
Homan will implement Trump’s plan for deporting illegal immigrants who pose “security threats” to the US.
The new appointee underpinned that deportation operations would prioritize individuals ordered to leave the country after failed asylum claims. He also underscored the need for cooperation from local law enforcement but stated ICE would proceed regardless.
Director of National Intelligence
To political analysts’ surprise, Trump has chosen former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as his director of national intelligence.
Gabbard is a military veteran who served in Iraq and Kuwait and a former supporter of progressive Jewish Senator Bernie Sanders.
After leaving the Democratic Party in 2022, Gabbard endorsed Trump earlier this year. For years, she has argued that “radical Islamic ideology” fuels terrorism.
The former Democrat said in 2021: “It is Islamist ideology that continues to fuel terrorist attacks around the world and is the foundation for so-called ‘Islamic’ countries like Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia’s discriminatory policies against Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc..”
Attorney General
Trump nominated Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz as his Attorney General in a post on his “Truth” Social platform on Wednesday.
Gaetz’s role will make him the county’s top prosecutor and the Head of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Trump has long accused Democrats of “weaponizing” the DOJ against him, Al Jazeera reported.
“Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system,” Trump said in the statement announcing Gaetz’s new role.
Other potential picks for Treasury Secretary, Commerce Secretary, and national security posts remain unconfirmed.