President-elect Donald Trump continues to round out his new administration, revealing more positions Wednesday.

After the meeting President Joe Biden at the White House to discuss the transition of power, he confirmed the nominations of several key allies joining his cabinet, including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as Secretary of State.

The president-elect also announced that he wanted to bring the representative. Matt Gaetz and former representative of the representative Tulsi Gabbard when he returns to office on January 20.

On Tuesday, he announced that Tesla CEO and billionaire endorser Elon Musk will lead what he calls the “Department of Government Effectiveness” alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Its announcement said the two tech entrepreneurs would offer “advice and guidance from outside government.” The creation of the new department would be useful to Congress, which is made possible thanks to Republicans swept the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. this election.

Here’s what you need to know about Trump’s latest cabinet picks.

Live updates from the Trump transition: Rubio will be named secretary of state; Gaetz AG

Trump names his Secretary of State: Marco Rubio

Trump has decided to nominate a US senator. Marco Rubio of Florida as the next secretary of state, the president-elect announced Wednesday.

The Cuban American, who has gone from Trump opponent to close ally, is expected to be the first Latino to hold the position. He brings extensive foreign policy experience, currently serving on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He has held his seat in the Senate since 2011.

“As Secretary of State, I will work every day to implement his foreign policy agenda. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will bring peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America first above all else,” Rubio said in a statement. job on X.

US Senator. Rick Scott of Florida wrote on Monday that his colleague will be the country’s top diplomat in the next Trump administration. He stressed that Rubio “will restore American leadership in the world, especially in Latin America, because he represents the United States with dignity and courage!” »

Trump nominates Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general

Representative Matt Gaetz will be named the next attorney general, Trump announced Wednesday. The firebrand lawmaker, who has represented Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2017, will soon oversee the Justice Department he has long criticized and investigated.

The Later Florida Republican resigned from his position “with immediate effect”, triggering a special election for the West Florida district.

Gaetz accused Attorney General Merrick Garland to use the Justice Department as a weapon against Trump during his presidential campaign. He also alleged that FBI Director Christopher Wray was “blissfully ignorant” of how agents conducted their investigations.

The House Ethics Committee investigated Gaetz following allegations of sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. The DOJ has ended ended the investigation in February 2023 without charging Gaetz.

Trump hires Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence

Trump also announced he was nominating a former congresswoman. Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, a Cabinet-level position.

The Army veteran previously served as a Democratic U.S. Representative in Hawaii from 2013 to 2021. She then ran in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, but switched to the Republican Party this year.

“I know Tulsi will bring to our intelligence community the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career, defending our constitutional rights and securing peace through strength,” Trump said in a statement.

Trump’s Cabinet Picks So Far: What We Know

• Chief of staff: Trump named his top campaign adviser Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, the first woman in history to hold that title. The Florida political consultant largely stays out of the spotlight, but is credited with helping lead Trump’s political comeback.

• Attorney General: representative Matt Gaetz of Florida has been named the next attorney general to oversee the Justice Department, something he has long criticized.

• Secretary of State: US Senator. Marco Rubio of Florida is named the next secretary of state. He will bring foreign policy experience through his service on the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A Cuban-American, he is expected to be the first Latin American to become secretary of state.

• Director of National Intelligence: Former MP Tulsi Gabbard is appointed director of national intelligence. The former Democratic presidential candidate turned Republican represented Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District from 2013 to 2021.

• Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy: Longtime Trump advisor Stephen Miller has been named deputy chief of staff for policy in the incoming Trump administration. The 39-year-old served as Trump’s senior adviser and speechwriting director during the Republican’s first term in the White House and is credited with shaping Trump’s immigration policy.

• Ambassador to the United Nations: Trump nominated Elise Stefanika five-term Republican representing a northern New York district, as his choice for U.N. ambassador. She is the chairwoman of the House Republican Conference and a former vice presidential candidate for Trump.

• “Tsar of the borders”: Trump appointed Tom Homan oversee deportation policy and aviation security. Homan was a border patrol agent for 34 years and served in the first Trump administration as acting director of ICE. He sparked controversy due to strict immigration enforcement, including the “zero tolerance” policy that separated undocumented immigrant families.

• Head of the EPA: Trump appointed Lee Zeldin as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Zeldin was a congressman for parts of Long Island, New York and ran for but lost to Kathy Hochul in the 2022 gubernatorial race.

• National Security Advisor: Trump appointed Florida Rep. Mike Waltz as his national security advisor. Waltz held civilian positions at the Pentagon, served on the House Armed Services Committee and supported Trump’s isolationist view on foreign relations.

• United States Ambassador to Israel: Trump announced he was nominating a former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as its American ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a Baptist minister and former Fox News host who twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination. His daughter is Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary during Trump’s first presidency.

• Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: Trump appointed his former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe as director of the CIA. Ratcliffe previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives before becoming director of national intelligence at the end of Trump’s first presidency.

• Secretary of Defense: Trump named Fox News host Pete Hegseth to the Secretary of Defense. A Fox News commentator, Hegseth served in the U.S. National Guard and led veterans advocacy groups.

• Secretary of Homeland Security: Trump announced his choice of The governor of South Dakota. Kristi Noem become Secretary of Homeland Security. The choice puts the hard-line conservative governor, who sent the state’s National Guard to the southern border, in a key immigration role.

• White House Counsel: Trump called on William McGinley to serve as his White House legal advisor. McGinley, a partner at the Washington-based law firm Holtzman Vogel, worked as a White House cabinet secretary during Trump’s first presidency.

What are the Cabinet positions?

Office advises the president on matters related to their respective functions.

Here are the ministerial positions of the 15 executive departments, which must be confirmed by the Senate:

• Secretary of State

• Secretary of Defense

• Attorney General

• Secretary of the Interior

• Secretary of Agriculture

• Secretary of Commerce

• Secretary of Labor

• Secretary of Health and Human Services

• Secretary of Transportation

• Secretary of Energy

• Secretary of Education

• Secretary of Veterans Affairs

• Secretary of Homeland Security

• Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Secretary of the Treasury

THE 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 Advisers, the head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the head of the Small Business Administration.

Contributors: Tom Vanden Brook, David Jackson, Savannah Kuchar, Victor Hagan, Bart Jansen, Fernando Cervantes Jr., Riley Beggin, Michael Collins, Garrison Joey; Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Investigator

This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Donald Trump’s latest cabinet picks: Marco Rubio and Matt Gaetz nominated