President of the United States is a pretty sweet gig. But as everyone finds out when they reach the White House, you don’t get to do everything you want just because you’re the Leader of the Free World. As POTUS, you are the servant of the people who elected you. It’s still a job, and you still have to follow certain procedures that were put there to keep everyone in check.
Even Donald Trump can’t just hire whomever he wants at the snap of his fingers. There are some positions in his upcoming administration that he can rubber-stamp, but when it comes to the Cabinet of the United States – the 25 politicians (plus the Vice President) who directly advise the POTUS – Trump must nominate his preferred choices for all but two of those spots. Then the U.S. Senate has to confirm each nominee is right for the job.
As it turns out, the Republican Party will be taking control of the Senate with at least a 51-49 majority, and probably 52-48, so it’s likely you’ll see the vast majority of Trump’s nominees join the Cabinet, just like they did eight years ago. But not necessarily all of them; in early 2017, Andrew Puzder (Secretary of Labor) withdrew after it was made clear he didn’t have enough Senate support.
Who Has Donald Trump Nominated?
The names are coming in hot and heavy as we go to press, but here’s what we’ve got at the moment:
- Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth
- Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
- Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: Lee Zeldin
- Ambassador to the United Nations: Elise Stefanik
- Director of the Central Intelligence Agency: John Ratcliffe
- White House Chief of Staff: Susie Wiles
- National Security Advisor: Michael Waltz
- Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
- Attorney General: Matt Gaetz
Hegseth was easily the most controversial name on this list before Gaetz snuck in just before press time. The 44-year-old Fox News host is a Princeton grad and a former Major in the Army National Guard, but does he have the necessary experience to be Secretary of Defense?
This might be where we see the “recess appointment” strategy unleashed. This is normally done when the opposition holds the Senate, but the POTUS can bypass Article II of the U.S. Constitution (which says they must make appointments “by and with the advice and consent of the Senate”) by filling those spots while the Senate isn’t in session. There are still some hoops to jump through, but if Trump really wants Hegseth (and Gaetz) by his side, he can make it happen.
Who Will Donald Trump Nominate?
Finally, we get to the good stuff: political odds, courtesy of Bovada (find out more with our Bovada Review) in this case. There are some heavy favorites out there for some of Trump’s Cabinet positions and other gigs, none heavier than Scott Bessent (–1100) for Treasury Secretary. I also saw Linda McMahon at –420 for Commerce Secretary mere moments ago, but that’s just been taken off the board, so she may have already been nominated by the time you read this.
Here are some other notable favorites at the political betting sites as we go to press:
- Energy Secretary: Doug Burgum (–185)
- Health and Human Services Secretary: Ben Carson (–150)
- Interior Secretary: Katharine MacGregor (–185)
- Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Tulsi Gabbard (–160)
- Transportation Secretary: Garret Graves (–150)
Carson is also even money to be nominated for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, well ahead of Brian Montgomery at +750; the second favorite for HHS Secretary is none other than Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at +200.
Trump has said he’s going to let Kennedy “do pretty much what he wants” in some sort of capacity overseeing the health sector, but the controversial anti-vaxxer might be a bridge too far when it comes to Senate confirmation. Is a recess appointment in Kennedy’s future? Bet accordingly.
