President-elect Donald Trump has begun naming members of his White House team, providing an early signal of the direction he will take on issues including foreign policy and immigration.
So far, Trump has announced a handful of policy staffers, nominating House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations and former Rep. Lee Zeldin as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He has named former Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director Tom Homan as his choice for “border czar” and is set to announce longtime policy adviser Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff. Stefanik is a staunch supporter of Israel, and Zeldin has emphasized his desire to roll back environmental regulations. Homan and Miller, meanwhile, are known for their tough stances on immigration, including overseeing family separation during Trump’s first administration.
Many more nominations – including powerful cabinet posts such as secretary of state and defense – are yet to come.
Trump outlined several priorities during the campaign, including promises of mass deportations, sweeping tariffs, and detente. Protection for LGBTQ people. It will be up to his secretaries and staff to execute these plans, his choices thus far indicate how serious he is about pursuing many of these goals, Especially on immigration.
During his first administration, many members of Trump’s cabinet oversaw significant changes in the executive branch, including Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who were critical of Reduced worker protections And Massive cuts in education spending are being attemptedrespectively. Trump has indicated that Want to go further And Move quickly this time And he wants to make sure that he is Surrounded by like-minded workers.
Below is a list of the names Trump has named and what roles these appointees may play.
House Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY) has been tapped for ambassador to the United Nations
Who is he: Once a moderate, Stefanik — currently part of the Republican House leadership — has become a Trump loyalist in recent years as his New York district has shifted to the right.
Stefanik first burst onto the national stage as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, grilling witnesses as part of Trump’s first impeachment proceedings in the lower chamber in 2019. More recently, he went viral for questioning college presidents During the anti-Semitism hearings and their management of student protests centered on Gaza.
As the top House Republican, Stefanik has ramped up Trump’s 2020 election denials and is so close to the president-elect that he was once on the short list for the vice presidency. Stefanik is also known for her efforts to recruit and support more Republican women for House seats.
He has taken a pretty standard conservative stance on foreign policy: Stefanik has been a prominent supporter of aid to Israel while falling short of his continued support for Ukraine. He supported initial levels of aid to Ukraine but joined other Republicans in arguing that more recent aid could be better applied domestically. Stefanik was previously with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is critical in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“Ellis is an incredibly strong, tough and smart America First fighter,” Trump spoke about this role in a statement.
What we know about the role: The UN ambassador serves as an important ambassador for US interests; Given the country’s financial support for the organization and its role on the UN Security Council, the ambassador has great influence over how the organization uses its resources and who serves at its helm.
Over the past year, UN officials have been increasingly critical of Israel’s assault on Gaza as thousands have died, health care systems have been attacked and famine has occurred. As ambassador, Stefanik could criticize these positions and call for the allocation of funds to UN relief programs.
This role requires Senate confirmation.
What message does it send: The selection suggests that the Trump administration may once again escalate its differences with the United Nations Withholding funding for certain UN initiatives In Trump’s first term. At that time the administration also withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council. Citing criticism of Israel.
Stefanik’s naming can also underscore that Doubts about the president-elect Additional aid to Ukraine.
Former ICE acting director Tom Homan has been dubbed the “border czar.”
Who is he: Homan was the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration and oversaw the implementation of family separation policies during his tenure from 2017 to 2018. He was supported for a long time. Trump’s Will to Deport Unauthorized ImmigrantsEarlier noted that when invited to join the administration, he wished “Run the biggest deportation drive this country has ever seen.”
Homan also worked for ICE during former President Barack Obama’s administration and has also served as a police officer and Border Patrol agent. He has been in lockstep with Trump on implementing punitive immigration policies and has been called out ICE to deport a wide range of unauthorized immigrantsincluding those with no criminal history.
“Homan will be responsible for deporting all illegal aliens to their countries of origin,” Trump said Wrote in a true social post. “There is no one better at policing and controlling our borders.”
What we know about the role: “Border Czar” is not an official role that requires Senate confirmation; The Secretary of Homeland Security is the actual Cabinet official overseeing the border. However, according to Trump, Homan appears poised to have a major say on policy and will focus on proposals on both the northern and southern borders, according to Trump.
What message does it send: Homan’s efforts in the first Trump administration and his commitment to mass deportations this term indicate that the president-elect is fully committed to his promise to remove large numbers of unauthorized immigrants from the United States.
Former Rep. Lee Zeldin tapped for Environmental Protection Agency administrator
Who is he: Zeldin is a former Republican House lawmaker who also ran an unsuccessful campaign for governor of New York in 2022.
Zeldin previously did not sit on committees focused on environmental policy in the House and focuses Crime and inflation during his governorship. That year, he came in remarkably close to Democratic Gov. Cathy Hochul as a Republican running in a traditionally blue state.
Zeldin said something to him First priority “Rewinding regulations that force businesses to struggle” and US “power dominance” will be dealt with.
What we know about the role: The EPA is responsible for developing policies that protect clean water and air, and also plays a major role in approving regulations to combat climate change. The position of administrator is a Senate-confirmed role.
What message does it send: Trump pledged to take a very different approach to the environment than the Biden administration, including withdrawing from international climate agreements and focusing on Expansion of fossil fuel production. Geldin’s nomination suggests that those commitments will be prioritized, as will the will Repeal of Biden-era environmental protections Which reduces carbon emissions for businesses.
Trump policy aide Stephen Miller is expected to be named deputy chief of staff and policy adviser.
Who is he: Miller is a staunch Trump loyalist and policy adviser who pushed many of the tougher immigration policies during the president-elect’s first term. He has advocated for a travel ban and family separation in the past, and is a key architect and instigator of the idea of mass deportations Trump has also promised this term.
“Inauguration Day begins as soon as he is sworn in,” Miller speaks of exile.
Trump has yet to officially announce the appointment, although Vice President-elect J.D. Vance already has posted his congratulations to Miller.
What we know about the role: Another political appointment that does not require Senate confirmation, the position is set to focus heavily on providing policy guidance — perhaps focused on immigration, given Miller’s expertise — to the president-elect.
What message does it send: Between this appointment and Homan, Trump has made it clear that his promised mass deportation will be one of his main policy goals when he takes office again.
Trump campaign adviser Susie Wiles has been named chief of staff
Who is he: A longtime Florida campaign manager, Wiles helped run Trump’s 2016 campaign in the state and was a senior national adviser to him in 2024. He is largely credited with Trump’s success during the 2024 Republican primaries and previously supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. His gubernatorial run prior to 2018 a falling between the two.
Wiles has also been one Corporate lobbyists And has worked with many Republicans in the past, including former Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
“Susie is tough, smart, innovative, … universally admired and respected,” Trump said this in a statement.
What we know about the role: The chief of staff is effectively a gatekeeper who helps shape the president’s priorities and provides policy advice. The post is the White House’s most prominent political appointee and has not been confirmed by the Senate.
Notably, Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly He has been a major critic of Trump, describing him as a “fascist” who favors an “authoritarian system”.
What message does it send: Wills has been deposited By professionalizing Trump’s campaign operations and reining in some of the chaos that characterized his past operations. That said, his promotion was still there Uproar over racist comments Which echoes the frequent falsehoods alongside authoritarians About former Vice President Kamala Harris Policy and identity. Kelly says that he is Tried to stop the president In his first term, though, it was still plagued by infighting and turbulent policies on everything from climate to immigration.
