Trump’s Second Cabinet Takes Shape: What You Need to Know About the Incoming Administration

Although Donald Trump’s Cabinet has been expanding since the first day of his second presidency, nearly half of his nominees still await confirmation more than two weeks into his tenure.

A handful of nominees have already served during Trump’s first administration, while others have no political experience whatsoever. Most have some affiliation with Trump.

Regardless of qualifications and credentials, each nominee must overcome scrutinous questioning and a Senate vote. A slight Republican majority, despite a vacancy due to Vice President J.D. Vance’s resignation as an Ohio senator, has allowed every nominee to succeed thus far.

From experienced elected officials to media personalities, let’s take a look at some of the most high-profile nominees.

Marco Rubio

Nominated for Secretary of State, Rubio was the earliest to be confirmed — securing his position on Trump’s first day in office — as well as the only nominee to be confirmed unanimously thus far, earning all 99 Senate votes.

Rubio was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election. He won three terms as a senator from Florida, serving from 2011 until his confirmation as secretary of state.

During his hearing, Rubio vowed to confront China, particularly the Chinese Communist Party, and defend Taiwan. Rubio is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and Israel, referring to Hamas as “a group of savages.”

Pete Hegseth

Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense on Jan. 24 after a 50-50 tie required Vance to cast the deciding vote. Republicans Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell joined every Democrat in voting against Hegseth’s confirmation.

Hegseth had not held any political office prior to being confirmed but has served in the U.S. Army, being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and co-hosted Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” from 2017 to 2024. Hegseth faced accusations of sexual assault and alcoholism throughout his confirmation process.

Kristi Noem

Noem, who had been serving as the 33rd governor of South Dakota since 2019, was nominated for Secretary of Homeland Security. In 2024, Noem was speculated to be a contender for Trump’s running mate.

Noem began receiving bipartisan criticism after publishing her 2024 autobiography ‘No Going Back,’ which mentions an incident in which Noem fatally shot her family’s new hunting dog after becoming frustrated with the dog’s disobedience and aggression.

Nevertheless, Noem was confirmed by a 59-34 vote on Jan. 25. She subsequently participated in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in New York City on Jan. 28.

Pam Bondi

Bondi was confirmed to the position of Attorney General on Feb. 4 by a vote of 54-46.

In addition to serving as the first female attorney general of Florida from 2011 to 2019, Bondi was a member of Trump’s legal term during his first impeachment trial.

Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard was confirmed to become Director of National Intelligence via a 52-48 vote, with Mitch McConnell being the only Republican to oppose.

An unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, Gabbard left the party in 2022 to become an independent, then joined the Republican Party and endorsed Trump in 2024. Like Hegseth, Gabbard has served in the U.S. Army and been deployed to Iraq.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy was confirmed by a 52-48 vote to become the next secretary of Health and Human Services on Feb. 13, with McConnell again being the lone Republican dissenter.

Kennedy ran as a candidate for the Democratic presidential nominee from April to October 2023, when he began an independent campaign. He has written several books criticizing vaccines and immunologist Anthony Fauci.

Doug Burgum

Along with these nominees, Burgum was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior by an 80-17 vote on Jan. 30.

Burgum served as the governor of North Dakota from 2016 to 2024 and was a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, suspending his campaign in December 2023.

Unofficial Positions

Moreover, lawyer and former federal prosecutor Kash Patel was nominated to be the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Intelligence. Although this is not a Cabinet position, Patel faces a similar process requiring Senate confirmation.

In addition to these roles, billionaire businessman Elon Musk is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an organization created to reduce wasteful government spending. Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and a candidate in the 2024 presidential election, was originally set to serve alongside Musk but is expected to instead run for Ohio governor in 2026.

Finally, Tom Homan has been serving as Trump’s “border czar,” though this is not an official government position.

How these formal and informal roles will come together throughout Trump’s presidency remains to be seen, especially as several other nominees still await confirmation.

Additional information on every Cabinet nominee can be retrieved from the Associated Press, specifically at https://apnews.com/projects/trump-cabinet-confirmation-tracker/