As his landslide victory in the US presidential elections, former President Donald Trump has started to form his Trump 2.0 team.
Trump, who fought the contest as the Republican candidate, defeated Democrat and Vice President Kamala Harris by receiving total of 312 electoral college votes.
The President-elect will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on January 20, 2025.
Ahead of his inauguration, Trump named Susan Summerall Wiles, the co-chair of the Trump campaign, as his new chief of staff.
Days after Wiles was named as the Chief of Staff, Trump announced former ICE director Thomas "Tom" Homan to be the "border czar" for the Trump 2.0 cabinet.
First Names For Trump 2.0 - Wiles And Homan
'Border Czar' Tom Homan
Trump announced on Sunday night that Homan will be in charge of the US borders. Taking to Truth Social, the former president announced that Homan, will be joining the Trump 2.0 Administration.
“I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration, in charge of our Nation’s Borders (“The Border Czar”), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security," said Trump, adding that there was no one better for the job.
The former ICE director played a major role in the Republicans Project 2025 blueprint. Despite Trump distancing himself from the document, it is expected to be played out in the White House from January 2025 onwards.
Trump's selection of Homan is not surprising, especially considering the former president's focus on the border issues and immigration rates across the US.
Homan served in the first Trump administration as a senior immigration official and was named the acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2017. Ahead of his term with Trump, Hamon served as a police officer, a Border Patrol agent and a special agent with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.
'Ice Maiden' Susan Wiles
Susan Wiles has served as a political consultant since the Regan administration in 1980. Having worked on Trump's campaigns in 2016 and 2024, Trump named Wiles as his next Chief of Staff. With this nomination, Wiles will also become the first woman to hold this position in the president's cabinet.
In his victory speech on November 5, Trump gave a special shoutout to Wiles and credited her campaign. “Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history....(she) is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected," said Trump.
The 67-year-old lobbyist is considered quiet and unassuming, but is feared and respected within and outside the Republican party, earning her the nickname of "Ice Maiden".
Environmental Protective Agency Head - Lee Zeldin
The President-elect has named Lee Zeldin, former Congressman from New York, as the head of the Environmental Protective Agency (EPA).
Zeldin, who left Congress in 2023, turned out to be a surprising pick.
Trump believes that Zeldin will “ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”
US Ambassador to UN - Elise Stefanik
Trump has nominated Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as the US United Nations Ambassador.
“Elise is a strong and very smart America First fighter. She graduated from Harvard University, with honours, was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, and is the highest ranking woman in Congress, as the House Republican Conference Chair,” Trump said.
Elise is a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Intelligence Committee, and led the charge against antisemitism on college campuses.
Who Is On The List For Trump 2.0?
With Trump and his team now forming his next administration, many key names and allies are expected to show up and join the list, starting with Elon Musk.
Musk has been a key supporter for Trump since 2016 and also conducted an interview with the former president a week after the failed assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The tech mogul has been a key presence at Trump rallies and various closed-door meetings as well. It won't be surprising if Musk finds a way into the White House.
Trump has asked Florida representative Mike Waltz to be the National Security Advisor. Waltz is an ardent Trump advocate who backed efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Waltz, a former Army Green Beret, has criticized China and urged NATO members to pay more for defense. He has also derided Pentagon efforts under Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Trump has also pitched longtime adviser Stephen Miller to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration. Miller, an immigration hard-liner, was a senior adviser in Trump's first term and has been a central figure in many of his policy decisions.
Although there is no word from the President-elect yet. Vice President-elect JD Vance congratulated Miller on X saying, “This is another fantastic pick by the president.”
Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Tennessee Senator Bill Hagert, Loyalists Richard Grenell and Kash Patel, and many more are on the list of contendors for the top posts in Trump 2.0.
As we await more information and announcements from the former President, Trump has made one thing clear, that is, who will NOT be part of his next administration.
While announcing Wiles and Hamon, the Republican leader confirmed that
Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, and Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state, will not be invited to join the new administration.
