Summary
With President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration just a few weeks away, the Trump Transition Team has wasted no time in naming Cabinet officials who will take over as heads of vital departments and agencies. ACD is tracking the planned nominees, as well as the potential policies they may implement.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator – Rep. Lee Zeldin
Former U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY) was a major supporter of the first Trump Administration while in Congress. He later ran for New York Governor in 2022 against Kathy Hochul, though he was unsuccessful. The former Congressman has stated that his priorities will be to “restore U.S. energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the U.S. the global leader of AI,” while also protecting access to clean air and water.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary – Gov. Kristi Noem
The second-term Governor was a contender to join the ticket as Vice President during the summer but was passed up for J.D. Vance. Now, Noem will take over as the top official for DHS, likely focusing heavily on border issues. During her time as Governor, Noem has been extremely critical of the Biden Administration’s handling of the border. Noem also deployed National Guardsmen to Texas to assist with the border crisis.
U.S. Department of Transportation – Rep. Sean Duffy
Former U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (R-WI), who served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, has been selected to head up the Department of Transportation. Duffy most recently worked as a Fox News host, and prior to his tenure in the House, he was an ESPN commentator, prosecutor, and star of the MTV show Real World: Boston. Trump’s pick will be expected to focus taxpayer money on “hard” infrastructure like roads and highways, with a mandate to pull back some of the $1.2 trillion appropriated through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Marty Makary
Johns Hopkins surgeon Dr. Marty Makary has been nominated by the incoming President to oversee the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Makary has previously worked with the first Trump administration on issues such as surprise medical billing. In his announcement, Trump pledged that Makary would work with HHS Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to "properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation's food supply, and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation's youth, so that we can finally address the Childhood Chronic Disease Epidemic."
U.S. Health and Human Services – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The former third-party presidential candidate dropped out of the race shortly after Kamala Harris was introduced as the replacement for Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. Kennedy swiftly followed this with an endorsement for President-Elect Trump. For his support, Kennedy was offered the nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services; a nomination that has proven controversial due to many of his fringe stances on health-related issues. Kennedy has pledged to place bans on several food additives, voiced strong opposition to the use of seed oils, and questioned the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
U.S. Trade Representative – Jamieson Greer
President-Elect Donald Trump has announced Jamieson Greer as his pick to serve as the next U.S. Trade Representative. Greer served as Chief of Staff to former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, helping to implement across-the-board tariffs on China and other countries while also signing onto the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump has stated that Greer “will focus the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on reining in the country’s massive trade deficit, defending American manufacturing, agriculture, and services, and opening up export markets everywhere.”
For further questions about the 2025 Executive Branch transition, please contact Tyler Farrar, Manager of Government Affairs at tfarrar@acd-chem.com.