President-elect Donald Trump has already begun building out a team to serve in his second term.
Trump’s new administration is expected to look different from his first—he said in an October interview that the “biggest mistake” of his first term was choosing “bad, disloyal people” to join his administration. Many of the roles will need to be confirmed by the Senate—though Trump has demanded that Republican leadership bypass the typical confirmation process.
Here are the key appointments, nominations, and staffing decisions announced by the Trump administration, in a list that will continue to be updated during the transition.
Susie Wiles
Susie Wiles, Trump’s 2024 campaign manager, was named White House chief of staff soon after Election Day, in the first major staffing decision. A longtime Republican strategist and campaign staffer, Wiles worked on Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign and managed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ winning gubernatorial campaign in 2018. Wiles, who Trump referred to as the “ice maiden” in his election night victory speech, will be the first woman to serve as chief of staff.
Elise Stefanik
Trump nominated New York Rep. Elise Stefanik to be U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik has been a critic of the U.N., in particular over the organization’s stance on Israel, saying last month that the Biden Administration should consider a “complete reassessment” of U.S. funding of the U.N. given the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to expel Israel from the General Assembly. Stefanik has been a vocal supporter of Trump, during both of his impeachment trials and as he contested the results of the 2020 election. She has ascended the party’s ranks, serving as chair of the House Republican Conference, the fourth highest position in House GOP leadership. Stefanik’s appointment will need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Tom Homan
Tom Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was appointed as “border czar”, a role that will likely be involved in Trump’s plan for mass deportations of millions of undocumented migrants. Homan, a former police officer, will be in charge of the southern and northern U.S. borders, as well as “all Maritime and Aviation Security,” according to Trump’s post on Truth Social. Homan also served in Trump’s first term—acting as ICE director from January 2017 to June 2018— and played a role in Trump’s crackdown on immigration, as one of the architects of the administration’s controversial child separation policy. The role will not require Senate confirmation.
