Inside Trump's Cabinet: The Key Players Shaping His Administration
As the president charts his "golden age," his cabinet will play a crucial role. Here are the key figures poised to shape his administration—and our reporting.
“THE golden age of America begins right now.” With those words, Donald Trump, newly sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, opened his inaugural address on January 20th. Declaring his victory a decisive mandate to “completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal,” Trump vowed to restore the people’s faith, wealth, democracy, and freedom. “From this moment on,” he proclaimed, “America’s decline is over.”
On his first day back in office, Trump wasted no time, signing 26 executive orders—more than any president in recent history. His ambitious “America First” agenda aims to secure the U.S. border, protect American communities, overhaul government bureaucracy, and restore traditional American values. But the success, or failure, of that vision rests on Trump’s directives, as well as the personnel he appoints to his cabinet. Having a vision is one thing; delivering on it in good faith is another—especially in the political arena, where words are often just tools of propaganda.
To help New Outlook readers get acquainted with the key figures poised to shape President Trump’s administration—and the nation—over the next four years, we’ve compiled a brief list of potential cabinet members. Few have already been confirmed. And many are still navigating the Senate confirmation process.
This list has been carefully assembled to highlight the key areas of focus that New Outlook will critically examine throughout Trump’s administration. As Trump and his cabinet work to implement his “America First” agenda, our coverage will dissect the good, the bad, and the misleading. For example, while Trump champions an “America First” approach, his newly confirmed Secretary of State—who served as a Florida Republican Senator in 2023—emphatically rejected calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas when confronted by anti-war activists from Code Pink. He even pointed to the government’s inability to provide aid to Israel as a major shortcoming of the delayed election of a new House Speaker. A stance that raises questions about how well it aligns with the principles of an “America First” administration.
As the status of the select nominees on this list changes, this post will be updated to reflect those changes.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.
Nominated: Secretary of Health and Human Services
Responsibility: Overseeing national health policies, programs, and services to protect the health and well-being of Americans.
MARCO RUBIO
Confirmed: Secretary of State
Responsibility: Head of the Department of State. Serves as the chief foreign affairs advisor to the President. Oversees and implements U.S. foreign policy, representing the country in international matters.
JOHN RATCLIFFE
Confirmed: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Responsibility: Head of the CIA. Serves as the principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Director of National Intelligence on matters related to national security and intelligence.
TULSI GABBARD
Nominated: Director of National Intelligence
Responsibility: Head of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Serves as the principal advisor to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on intelligence matters related to national security.
PETER HEGSETH
Confirmed: Secretary of Defense
Responsibility: Head of the Department of Defense. Serves as the principal defense policy advisor to the President.
PAMELA BONDI
Confirmed: Attorney General
Responsibility: Chief legal officer of the federal government and the head of the Department of Justice. Oversees the enforcement of federal laws, provides legal counsel to the government, and ensures justice is administered fairly and impartially.
KRISTI NOEM
Confirmed: Secretary of Homeland Security
Responsibility: Head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Safeguards the nation from a wide range of threats. Oversees efforts to ensure national security, public safety, and emergency preparedness.
HOWARD LUTNICK
Nominated: Secretary of Commerce
Responsibility: Leads the Department of Commerce. Promotes economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development within the United States. Serves as the President's chief advisor on economic matters and oversees policies that affect trade, industry, and economic development.
LORI CHAVEZ-DEREMER
Nominated: Secretary of Labor
Responsibility: Head of the U.S. Department of Labor. Plays a crucial role in overseeing national labor policies, protecting workers’ rights, and ensuring safe working conditions.
LINDA MCMAHON
Nominated: Secretary of Education
Responsibility: Serves as the head of the U.S. Department of Education. Oversees federal education policy, programs, and initiatives.
JAYANTA BHATTACHARYA
Nominated: Director of the National Institutes of Health
Responsibility: Overseeing and managing the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the primary U.S. government agency responsible for biomedical and public health research.
MARTIN MAKARY
Nominated: Commissioner of Food and Drugs
Responsibility: Head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Oversees the agency’s efforts to protect public health by ensuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, tobacco products, and more.
DAVID WELDON
Appointed: Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Responsibility: Leads the activities of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), including developing and implementing policies to ensure infectious disease prevention and control, for example through vaccines, improve environmental health, and advances the health of the American people.
KASHYAP PATEL
Nominated: Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Responsibility: Leads the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its mission to protect and defend the United States from threats to national security and to uphold and enforce federal laws.
LEE ZELDIN
Confirmed: Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Responsibility: Chief executive of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Oversees the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in the United States.
ELISE STEFANIK
Nominated: Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations
Responsibility: The U.N. Ambassador serves as the lead diplomat representing U.S. interests at the United Nations (U.N.). Provides policy advice and information about U.N. activity to the President, Secretary of State, and other key stakeholders.