The following cabinet nominations have been confirmed.
Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was the least controversial pick, confirmed as the 72nd Secretary of State on January 20th, receiving a unanimous 99-0 vote in the Senate.
CIA Director: John Ratcliffe
John Ratcliffe previously served as CIA director during Trump’s first term and was confirmed as CIA director with a vote of 74-25, with 21 Democrats backing the vote alongside Republicans.
Secretary of Treasury: Scott Bessent
Scott Bessent, long-time supporter and donor of Trump and hedge fund manager was confirmed 68-29 on January 27th.
Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
Kristi Noem was confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security on January 24th with a vote of 59-34.
Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth has been the most controversial and surprising pick made by Trump, with Republicans and Democrat senators expressing concerns. Hegseth was confirmed with a tie-breaking 51-50 vote from JD Vance.
The following cabinet nominations have yet to be confirmed by the Senate but have a confirmation hearing set.
Secretary of Health & Human Services: Robert F Kennedy Jr
Trump has named Robert F Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy is likely to face scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans for his stance on vaccines, with Republican senators like Mitch McConnell and former Vice President Mike Pence having signaled concerns over his views on vaccines and abortion. Kennedy’s hearings have already taken place, and the Senate Committee of Finance is to vote on him this Tuesday, where if he passes he’ll eventually move to the full Senate for a vote.
Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright
Trump has named Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy, as secretary of energy. Wright has been a vocal advocate of oil and gas development and one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources voted to confirm Wright in a vote of 15-6, now his confirmation will move to the full Senate at an unconfirmed date.
Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick
Billionaire Howard Lutnick was picked as the secretary of commerce by Trump. Lutnick heads the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald is a cryptocurrency enthusiast and is co-chair of Trump’s transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon with helping the president-elect fill key jobs in his second administration. Lutnick’s hearing has already taken place, and a voting date has yet to be set.
Attorney General: Pam Bondi
Pam Bondi was Florida’s first female attorney general, serving from 2011 to 2019. Bondi was on Trump’s legal team during his first Senate impeachment trial in 2020 and has been critical of the criminal cases against him. Bondi’s hearing has already taken place, and a voting date has yet to be set.
