As President-elect Donald Trump assembles his second administration, his Cabinet selections are drawing both attention and controversy. Among his choices, Trump has picked Chris Wright, a campaign donor and fossil fuel executive, to serve as energy secretary.
On the other hand, the nomination of Matt Gaetz as attorney general has resulted in a controversy among Justice Department employees, who are concerned not only about the future of the agency but also about the influence of a Trump loyalist with a history of criticizing the department.
Meanwhile, billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has called for public involvement in the selection process of these posts, particularly for the critical post of Treasury Secretary.
Who Is Chris Wright?
CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Wright is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking, a key pillar of Trump's quest to achieve US "energy dominance" in the global market.
Wright has been one of the industry's loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change and could give fossil fuels a boost, including quick action to end a year-long pause on natural gas export approvals by the Biden administration.
Wright also has criticised what he calls a "top-down" approach to climate by liberal and left-wing groups and said the climate movement around the world is "collapsing under its own weight". Wright, who has never served in government, has written that more fossil fuel production is needed around the globe to lift people out of poverty.
Consideration of Wright to head the administration's energy department won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm.
Controversy Over Matt Gaetz's Appointment
The president-elect's pick of the Florida Republican sent a shock throughout the Cabinet department, considering Gaetz's lack of experience in law enforcement and the fact that he was once the subject of a federal sex trafficking investigation.
The names of well-regarded veteran lawyers had circulated as possible contenders for the job but Gaetz's selection was broadly interpreted as an indication of the premium that Trump places on personal loyalty and Trump's desire to have a disruptor lead a department that for years investigated and ultimately indicted him.
In response to the criticism, Gaetz has claimed the Justice Department is "corrupt and highly political", and strongly criticised the federal prosecutions of Trump and the January 6 rioters.
Accoridng to AP report, it is unclear whether Gaetz has enough Republican support in the Senate to be confirmed. Some Republicans have praised his nomination but several have expressed concern or refused to say publicly yet whether they will support him.
Trump Picks White House Press Secretary
US President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Karoline Leavitt as White House Press Secretary.
Leavitt, 27, would replace Karine Jean-Pierre as the White House Press Secretary on January 20, 2025 when Trump takes oath as the 47th President of the United States.
She was the Trump Campaign's National Press Secretary and has previously served in the Trump White House as Assistant Press Secretary.
Announcing her nomination, Trump said, "Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary."
Elon Musk Calls For Public Nomination Of Treasury Secy
X CEO Elon Musk invited people to use his social platform to weigh in on the president-elect's yet-to-be-made treasury secretary choice.
In a post on X, Musk wrote, "Would be interesting to hear more people weigh in on this for @realDonaldTrump to consider feedback."
Musk used the rest of his post to become the first participant in the public poll he was proposing.
He endorsed Howard Lutnick, the CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald and co-chair of Trump's transition team, ahead of Inauguration Day on January 20, 2025, over hedge fund manager Scott Bessent.
Musk said in his post that "Bessent is a business-as-usual choice, whereas @howardlutnick will actually enact change".
Both Lutnick and Bessent have been mentioned as possible picks to lead the Treasury Department. Bessent is considered the more conventional, business-friendly choice. He is sceptical about cryptocurrency, while Lutnick has suggested it could be used for people to pay their taxes.
The Cabinet & White House Staff Picked By Donald Trump So Far
The cabinet nominees announced by president-elect Donald Trump include Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary, Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, John Ratcliffe as CIA Director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary, Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs Secretary, Doug Burgum as Interior Secretary, and Lee Zeldin as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator.
Key White House staff include Susie Wiles as Chief of Staff, Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser, Tom Homan as Border Czar, Stephen Miller as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, Dan Scavino, James Blair, and Taylor Budowich as Deputy Chiefs of Staff, and William McGinley as White House Counsel.
Ambassadors and envoys include Steven Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East, Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel, and Elise Stefanik as Ambassador to the United Nations.
(With AP inputs)
