The chosen: Kristi Noem, Marco Rubio added to Trump team, offered major roles

Despite just one full week having passed since Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump has already picked several individuals to serve in his next administration.

National Security Adviser

Trump has reportedly asked Florida Rep. Mike Waltz to serve as national security adviser. Walz is a former Army Green Beret who’s very hawkish against China, who’s bashed NATO members for not paying enough for defense, and who wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but is willing to hand over more weapons if necessary.

Secretary of State

Trump has set his sights on Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state, though the New York Times reported that he may still change his mind. Rubio recently said that the Ukraine-Russia war had reached a stalemate and “needs to be brought to a conclusion.”

Rubio is also very supportive of Israel:

Homeland Security Secretary

In a surprise move, Trump has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem — infamous for killing a dog for being “less than worthless” — to serve as homeland security secretary.

In 2021, Noem told Breitbart News that she considered the crisis along the southern border to be a “war.” So much so in fact that she deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the border.

EPA Administrator

Trump announced this Monday that he’s chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency as per his “very strong legal background” and on account of him being “a true fighter for America First policies.”

In a statement, Trump’s camp said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American business while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards.”

Deputy Chief of Staff

Trump’s deputy chief of staff will be none other than former Trump administration immigration official Stephen Miller. He’s especially famous for being the architect of some of the first Trump administration’s toughest border policies.

Chief of Staff

Trump has chosen his 2024 presidential campaign co-manager Susie Wiles to serve as his chief of staff. She’ll be the first woman to ever serve in this coveted role. As co-manager of Trump’s campaign, she was reportedly beloved by staff.

“Susie Wiles is a tremendous advocate for President Trump and a great boss to those that work for her,” Trump senior adviser Danielle Alvarez told CBS News. “She knows how to bring people together.”

“For myself and countless others, having Susie Wiles as a mentor and a friend is a gift,” senior adviser Brian Hughes added. “The nation will see that with President Trump in the White House with Susie as the COS the next four years will be America’s best.”

Border Czar

Trump’s border czar will be longtime immigration hawk Tom Homan, who previously served as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term in office. In addition to being a contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, Homan was also reportedly an early proponent of family separations.

U.N. Ambassador

Trump announced on Sunday that he’s chosen GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to serve as the U.N. ambassador. She subsequently told the New York Post that she’d accepted the offer.

“President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead — both at home and abroad,” she told the Post. “America continues to be the beacon of the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek.”

Attorney General

While Trump hasn’t made an AG choice yet, Forbes notes that “Sen. Mike Lee … former administration lawyer Mark Paoletta and former Trump Director of National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe are some of the names commonly floated for AG in media reports.”

Journalist Paul Sperry reported over the summer that Ratcliffe was Trump’s top choice at the time.

Treasury Secretary

This position also remains unfilled, though the top choices reportedly include Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty, Trump transition team Co-Chair Cantor Fitzgerald, Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, former Trump U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, investor Scott Bessent, and billionaire John Paulson.

Bessent is reportedly his top pick:

Defense Secretary

Trump has reportedly contacted House Armed Services Chair Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama to serve as defense secretary.

Rogers is a war hawk who’s “pushed for significant increases in defense spending to take on China and Russia, ramp up defense production, and modernize the U.S. nuclear arsenal” ever since becoming chair of the House Armed Services Committee, according to Politico.

Vivek Saxena

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