Trump’s 2nd Administration Taking Shape: Zeldin, Stefanik, Homan Among Key Picks

Rachel Acenas
By Rachel Acenas
November 11, 2024Donald Trump
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President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to fill key roles in his upcoming administration after securing a decisive victory in the 2024 election.

So far, Trump’s new team has taken shape with longtime allies and loyal advisors who support his agenda.

Here are his current publicly announced picks:

White House Chief of Staff: Susan Wiles

Trump has chosen Susan Wiles, 67, to serve as his White House chief of staff, giving her credit for running very disciplined presidential campaigns and being a powerful but quiet figure behind the scenes.

“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” Trump said in a statement on his social media platform Truth Social.

Wiles will be the first-ever female chief of staff in U.S. history.

As White House chief of staff, Wiles will be responsible for overseeing all policy development, coordinating with federal agencies and departments, and managing daily operations in Trump’s second term.

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Donald Trump greets his campaign manager Susie Wiles (L) during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 6, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Ambassador: Elise Stefanik

Trump has tapped Rep. Elise Stefanik, the fourth-ranking House Republican, to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

“Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,” Trump said in a statement.

In 2014, Stefanik became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at 30 years old. The New York congresswoman later became the youngest woman to serve in House leadership.

Her nomination requires Senate confirmation.

Stefanik issued a response to the appointment, saying she’s “deeply humbled” and is looking forward to earning the support of her colleagues in the Senate to be confirmed to the role.

She also said that the last four years of the Biden administration weakened U.S. national security and that she’s ready to restore Trump’s America First policies.

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House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) arrives for a news conference at the Republican National Committee in Washington on June 13, 2024. (Tom Williams/Pool/Getty Images)

‘Border Czar’: Tom Homan

Tom Homan, Trump’s former acting ICE director, will serve as “border czar” in the new administration.

“I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin,” Trump wrote in a post.

Homan, a former police officer, and Border Patrol agent is known for his hardline stance on immigration.

He said in a recent interview with CBS “60 Minutes” that workplace enforcement operations are “going to be necessary.”

“Worksite enforcement operations is just not about people working in the country illegally and companies that hire them that’s going to undercut their competition to hire U.S. citizen employees,” Homan said. “That’s where we find a lot of trafficking cases—women and children who are forced into forced labor to pay off their smuggling fees.”

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Former acting ICE Director Tom Homan testifies at a House hearing in front of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, in Washington on July 12, 2019. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

EPA Administrator: Lee Zeldin

Former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin has been chosen by Trump to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As head of the EPA, Zeldin will manage and enforce the nation’s environmental laws and regulations.

In his announcement, Trump called Zeldin “highly respected” and a fighter for America First policies. He also said that he is confident that Zeldin will unleash the power of American businesses while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards.

The president-elect also cited Zeldin’s strong legal background and ability to successfully handle the most complex and difficult situations.

The Cabinet-level appointment must be confirmed by the Senate.

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Former Rep. Lee Zeldin speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Deputy Chief of Policy: Stephen Miller

Trump has tapped longtime adviser Stephen Miller as the deputy policy chief in his upcoming administration.

While Trump himself did not confirm the appointment, Vice President-elect JD Vance congratulated Miller and called Trump’s choice “another fantastic pick by the president” on X.

Miller served as a senior adviser in Trump’s first administration and helped to craft many of his major speeches and policy decisions, most notably on immigration. And Miller has publicly expressed his support for mass deportations.

After Trump left office following his first term, Miller served as president of America First Legal, a nonprofit, conservative public interest organization.

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Former White House senior advisor and director of speechwriting Steven Miller speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas, on July 11, 2021. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

No Posts for Nikki Haley or Mike Pompeo

While Trump has publicly announced his choices for key roles, he has also made it clear that he would not be tapping two high-profile figures for his upcoming administration.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who challenged Trump for the party’s presidential nomination, was not chosen to serve in his Cabinet.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also ruled out.

“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” Trump said in a statement. “I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country.”

Pompeo issued a statement saying that he was proud to work with Trump.

“Mr. President – I was proud to work with you too. As you said, when we were together last week, you and I built the plan that made the world safer & led to no new wars,” he said via X.

Haley also stated similar on X.

“I was proud to work with President Trump defending America at the United Nations,” she said. “I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years.”

Other Roles

Trump has yet to confirm his picks for National Security Advisor and Secretaries of State, Defense, and Treasury, although some names have been floated around.

Rep. Mike Waltz was reportedly asked to be his national security advisor, while Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is being looked at to serve as Secretary of State. Billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Bessent has been reportedly viewed as the top candidate for Treasury Secretary.