Rubio, Miller, Noem and others who will form part of the MAGA cabinet in 2025
With January 2025 around the corner, and the presidential inauguration, the dust has been settling revealing the names and faces that will be part of the second term of Donald J. Trump.
The New York Times writes that Trump is expected to name Florida Senator Marco Rubio as the new Secretary of State, though the New York mogul is no stranger to making last-minute changes.
The Cuban-American Florida politician, The New York Times highlights, is well-known for his hardliner stance against China, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.
Rubio has also agreed with the New York mogul on Ukraine, arguing that the war in Ukraine has reached a stalemate and needs to quickly be brought to a conclusion.
CNN writes that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been picked to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Noem was once on the shortlist of potential VPs for the Trump campaign, until the backlash after the South Dakota Governor confessed in her autobiography of killing a 14-month dog because it was “untrainable” to be a proper hunting dog.
Reuters writes that Trump has tapped New York Republican representative Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Zeldin ran for New York governor in 2022.
“He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social and cited by Reuters.
According to Reuters, Zeldin has a history of voting against legislation on green issues. Trump himself said he would rescind vehicle pollution rules on his first day in office.
Meanwhile, CNN writes that the New York mogul has formally asked Florida Representative Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser. Waltz is a combat-decorated Green Beret who has served in Afghanistan, Africa, and the Middle East.
According to CNN, Waltz would play a vital role defining US policy in ongoing conflicts such as the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the Hamas-Israel conflict.
CNN highlights that Trump had falling outs with two of the men who occupied the position during his first time around the White House, namely John Bolton (pictured) and retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster.
Susie Wiles, who according to the BBC worked as Trump’s campaign manager during his third presidential election, will be the New York mogul’s White House chief of staff.
Wiles has been described by several news outlets as “Trump’s Iron Lady”, an obscure but feared veteran who has been in political campaigns from Ronald Reagan to Ron DeSantis.
It’s noteworthy to highlight that Wiles will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff.
Meanwhile, CNN writes that Trump is expected to announce Stephen Miller, his top immigration advisor, as the White House deputy chief of staff for policy.
According to CNN, Miller served as senior adviser during Trump’s first administration and was the New York mogul’s lead speechwriter.
Miller is well-known for being one of the masterminds behind Trump’s immigration policy, which seems to reflect the new administration’s hardliner stance on immigrants.
Another key figure on Trump’s plans on migration, which includes tighter border control and mass deportation of undocumented migrants, is Tom Homan, who the former mogul calls his “border czar”.
Forbes writes that Homan formerly served as the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term.
However, quite a few people who were part of Trump’s first administration won’t return for his second time in the White House.
Trump posted on Truth Social that he won’t be inviting former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to be part of his cabinet in 2025.
Someone else who is not coming back? Former Ambassador Nikki Haley, who was one of the most visible faces during Trump’s first term.
However, given how things went the first time Donald Trump resided in the White House, everyone in this list is subject to change.