Zeldin, Homan, Stefanik, Miller deserve roles

by Junna Base November 12, 2024

As the country waits to see which party will control the House of Representatives, President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is coming into focus.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin was named administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, while longtime adviser Stephen Miller was named deputy chief of staff for policy.

Trump announced Sunday evening that former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan would be joining the administration as “border czar.” And Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has been named as Trump’s nominee for ambassador to the United Nations and she has accepted the offer, USA TODAY reported Monday.

Trump said Saturday that neither former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley nor former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will play a role at the start of the new administration. He has not yet named official roles for key campaign allies Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and billionaire Elon Musk, which he has said he will do.

Here’s what else we know about the new government:

Lee Zeldin named EPA chief

Trump’s campaign announced Monday that former New York congressman Lee Zeldin will be appointed administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“He will set new standards for environmental assessment and conservation that will enable the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured manner,” the campaign said in a media release.

Zeldin confirmed he is taking the position in a post on X-Monday.

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” he wrote. “We will restore U.S. energy dominance, revitalize our automotive industry to bring back American jobs, and make the U.S. the world leader in AI. We will do this while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Stephen Miller named deputy chief of staff for policy

Stephen Miller, a longtime immigration adviser to Trump, has been nominated for the position of deputy chief of staff for policy in Trump’s next administration.

CNN first reported the move and Vice President-elect JD Vance congratulated Miller in a post on X.

Miller is known to have helped shape Trump’s immigration policy in his first term and played a key role in the 2024 election campaign. Miller was reportedly being considered for attorney general.

Trump appoints Tom Homan as new “border czar”

In a Sunday Truth Social post, Trump said Homan would oversee deportation policies for undocumented immigrants and airline safety. Mass deportations were a key campaign promise for Trump, who added that Hogan would lead the deportation of undocumented immigrants back to “their countries of origin.”

“I have known Tom for a long time and there is no one better at policing and controlling our borders,” Trump said in the post.

Homan sparked controversy during Trump’s first term when he implemented the “zero tolerance” policy to separate migrant families.

MP Elise Stefanik is strengthening her workforce

Trump has named rising GOP star Stefanik as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

She was one of Trump’s staunchest allies on Capitol Hill and was among those rumored to be a potential candidate for Trump’s 2024 run. The position requires Senate approval.

“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in my Cabinet. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Who could be nominated for the position of Foreign Minister?

According to media reports, these are some of the candidates for the post of foreign minister. The Secretary of State is the President’s principal foreign policy advisor and head of the State Department.

Richard Grenell: Grenell is considered one of Trump’s closest foreign policy advisers. The Washington Post reported that Trump referred to him as “my envoy.” Reuters reported that Grenell attended the private meeting when Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in September.
Bill Hagerty: The Tennessee senator worked on Trump’s transition team in 2016 and is well-positioned to be confirmed by a Republican Senate, according to Reuters. Politico notes that he has used his role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to take a hawkish stance on China.
Robert O’Brien: According to Reuters, O’Brien was Trump’s last national security adviser during his first term and maintained close ties with the president-elect. Reuters reported that O’Brien met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in May. Politico notes that O’Brien is more friendly toward NATO and Ukraine than other potential secretaries of state.
Marco Rubio: According to Politico, the Florida senator would likely have an easy path through the Senate. Reuters notes that Rubio has been considered as a candidate for Trump’s 2024 run and holds similar foreign policy positions to the president-elect.

Who could be nominated for the post of finance minister?

According to media reports, these are some of the candidates for the post of finance minister. The Finance Minister’s tasks include formulating and advising on financial, economic and tax policy at home and abroad:

Scott Bessent: The long-time hedge fund investor is one of the top candidates for Treasury Secretary, according to Politico. Two sources close to Trump told Reuters that Bessent met with the president-elect on Friday.
John Paulson: The hedge fund manager and founder of New York investment management firm Paulson & Co. is also a candidate for the job, according to Reuters. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Paulson was a candidate to lead the Treasury Department. The billionaire investor added that he would work with Musk to cut spending if he claimed the position.
Larry Kudlow: The Fox Business financial commentator could have also taken a shot at the position, according to Reuters and Politico. He previously served as director of the National Economic Council from 2018 to 2021, and Politico reported that he was part of an outside group that promoted Trump’s policies ahead of a second administration.
Robert Lighthizer: According to Reuters and Politico, the lawyer and former trade executive’s name was also in discussion for the role. After serving as U.S. Trade Representative under Trump’s first administration, he helped oversee Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs and his efforts in dealing with China, Canada and Mexico.

Who could be nominated for the office of Attorney General?

After Trump’s numerous allegations that the Justice Department is persecuting him, he is now tasked with selecting an attorney general to lead the department. He is expected to choose someone very loyal to him, experts previously told USA TODAY, and the following people are being considered:

Sen. Mike Lee: Utah Senator is most prominently considered
John Ratcliffe: Trump’s former Director of National Intelligence and former Republican House of Representatives member from Texas
Jeffrey Clark: Former Deputy Attorney General
US District Judge Aileen Cannon: Trump-appointed judge who rejected allegations that he mishandled confidential documents after leaving the White House
Mike Davis: Former Senate Judiciary Committee nominations attorney
Mark Paoletta: Former 10-year House committee counsel and White House veteran.

What we know so far about Trump’s administration:

Chief of Staff: Trump named his senior campaign adviser Susie Wiles As his White House chief of staff, she was the first woman in history to hold that title. The Florida political consultant largely stays out of the spotlight but has been credited with aiding Trump’s political comeback.
Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy: Longtime Trump advisor, Stephen Miller has been nominated to serve as deputy chief of staff for policy in Trump’s next administration. The 39-year-old served as a senior adviser and speechwriter to Trump during the Republican’s first term in the White House and is considered a co-creator of Trump’s immigration policy.
Ambassador to the United Nations: Trump nominated Elise Stefanik, a five-term Republican representing a district in northern New York as his choice for U.N. ambassador. She is the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference and a former candidate for Trump’s vice presidential running mate.
“Border Czar”: Trump appointed Tom Homan Monitoring deportation policy and aviation security. Homan was a Border Patrol agent for 34 years and served as acting ICE director in Trump’s first administration. He stirred controversy over strict immigration enforcement, including the “zero tolerance” policy that separated families of undocumented immigrants.
EPA boss: Trump appointed Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin was a congressman for parts of Long Island, New York and ran in the 2022 gubernatorial race but lost to Kathy Hochul.

What positions are there in the cabinet?

The Cabinet advises the President on matters relating to his respective offices.

These are the Cabinet positions of the 15 executive departments that must be confirmed by the Senate:

Foreign Minister
Minister of Defense
Attorney General
Interior Minister
Minister of Agriculture
Minister of Commerce
Minister of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Minister of Transport
Energy Minister
Minister of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Minister of Internal Security
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Finance Minister

Advisors to the Cabinet and the President also include the Vice President, the Chief of Staff, the Ambassador to the United Nations, the Director of National Intelligence, the U.S. Trade Representative, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, the head of the Office of Management and Budget, the head of the Council of Economic Advisors, the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the head of the Small Business Administration.

Featuring: Savannah Kuchar, Victor Hagan, Bart Jansen, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Riley Beggin, Michael Collins, Joey Garrison, USA TODAY; Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati investigator

Kinsey Crowley is a featured news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.

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