President-elect Trump this week has continued announcing nominations to senior government roles, including Ambassador to China, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, administrator of the Small Business Administration, IRS commissioner, and others.
Cabinet selections
Former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) was chosen as the nominee for administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Loeffler was appointed in 2020 to fill the seat vacated by the late Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA). Raised in Illinois, Loeffler joined Intercontinental Exchange, a commodity and financial service provider, in 2002. She has also served as the co-chair of President-elect Trump’s campaign and has been named as co-chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Other senior government positions
Former Georgia Senator David Perdue (R-GA) was chosen as the nominee for the U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. Formerly the CEO of Reebok and Dollar General, Perdue served as a Senator from 2015 to 2021. Perdue has previously lived in Hong Kong.
Caleb Vitello was named as the nominee for director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Vitello has served in various positions with ICE for over 20 years.
Former Vice President-elect JD Vance advisor and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member Gail Slater was chosen as the nominee for assistant attorney general for the antitrust division at the Department of Justice. “Gail previously served at the FTC, in my National Economic Council and, most recently, advising Vice President-Elect JD Vance in his Senate office,” President-elect Trump said in a Truth Social post. “Gail has also worked in the private sector, in Media at FOX, and in the Tech sector at Roku. In her new role, Gail will help ensure that our competition laws are enforced, both vigorously and FAIRLY, with clear rules that facilitate, rather than stifle, the ingenuity of our greatest companies. Congratulations Gail – Together, we will Make America Competitive Again!”
Former Trump administration staffer Peter Navarro was chosen as Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing. Navarro served in President-elect Trump’s first term, first as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House National Trade Council and later as Assistant to the President and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy in the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. “During my First Term,” President-elect Trump said, “few were more effective or tenacious than Peter in enforcing my two sacred rules, Buy American, Hire American. He helped me renegotiate unfair Trade Deals like NAFTA and the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), and moved every one of my Tariff and Trade actions FAST.”
Former Missouri Representative Billy Long was chosen as the nominee for commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Long served for 12 years in Congress, from 2011 to 2023, and prior to his time in Congress has been an auctioneer and talk radio show host.
Kash Patel was chosen as the nominee for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director. Patel has served as chief of staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, senior advisor to the acting director of national intelligence, senior counsel for the House Select Committee on Intelligence, and a congressional aide.
Dean John Sauer was chosen as the nominee for the Solicitor General of the United States. Formerly the Solicitor General of the State of Missouri, Sauer is a Rhodes scholar and graduate of Duke University, Oxford University, and Harvard University.
David Sacks was chosen to be the White House AI and Crypto Czar, a new position. “In this important role, David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness,” President-elect Trump said. “David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas. Sacks will also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Sacks was the founding COO of PayPal and has founded various other technology-related companies.
Rodney Scott was chosen as the nominee for commissioner of the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Scott has spent nearly three decades in border patrol, including as the Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.
Tony Salisbury was chosen as Deputy Homeland Security Advisor in the White House. Currently an official at the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Salisbury has a long law enforcement career. “Tony manages all of (Homeland Security Investigations) complex Federal Law Enforcement investigative programs related to National Security and smuggling violations, including counter-proliferation, financial crimes, commercial fraud, human trafficking, human smuggling, narcotics smuggling, transnational gangs, cyber-crimes, child exploitation, worksite enforcement and document and benefit fraud,” President-elect Trump said. Salisbury will report to Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor.
