Washington (TDI): US President-elect Donald Trump has begun filling key positions for his second administration, focusing on loyalists and prominent supporters from his 2024 campaign.
Among the first picks, Trump named Fox News host and military veteran Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, praising him as a “tough, smart, and true believer in America First.”
Trump also appointed tech mogul Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency,” a role intended to overhaul government bureaucracy and streamline federal agencies.
While the department is not an official agency, both Musk and Ramaswamy will work outside the government to provide strategic guidance on reforms, focusing on cutting regulations and restructuring federal systems, according to media reports.
In other key appointments, Trump selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, tasked with enforcing strict border policies, including mass deportation.
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Former ICE director Tom Homan was also named “border czar” to oversee immigration enforcement.
Further appointments include former congressman Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik as US Ambassador to the United Nations, and Florida Congressman Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor.
Trump also picked ex-Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as the next US envoy to Israel.
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Trump’s selections signal a shift towards a more hard-line stance, particularly in foreign policy, with some of his most vocal critics of China set to take prominent roles in his administration.
