The White House, Editorial Use.
The White House Cabinet Room.
After being sworn in as the 47th president on Jan. 20, Donald Trump’s first official act was signing a document formally submitting his list of nominees for the Cabinet. Each nominee must be confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate, and nominees are subject to review by relevant Senate committees.
If a nominee is rejected in the Senate, President Trump must submit a new choice. But, as Republicans hold a three seat majority in the Senate, it is unlikely that a large sum of nominees will be defeated.
Every member of the Cabinet may be dismissed at any time by the President; the only official who cannot be fired is Vice President JD Vance, whose term coincides with Trump’s. Moreover, Vance will swear-in each Cabinet member if and when they are confirmed.
See an entire list of President Trump’s cabinet, along with their background, confirmation committee, and responsibilities in the slideshow below.
Until the confirmation of the designated Cabinet, acting officials will temporarily serve in each role. President Trump will personally appoint those acting officials under the criteria that each chosen appointee currently holds a senior position within their relevant jurisdiction and they have previously been confirmed to that position by the Senate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already been unanimously confirmed to his position, so the acting secretary of state has already relinquished their post.
The Acting Cabinet:
Acting Secretary of State Lisa D. Kenna, executive secretary of the State Department (has already been replaced by Marco Rubio)
Acting Secretary of the Treasury David Lebryk, fiscal assistant secretary of the treasury
Acting Secretary of Defense Robert G. Salesses, deputy director for Washington Headquarters Services
Acting Attorney General James McHenry, chief administrative hearing officer
Acting Secretary of the Interior Walter Cruickshank, deputy director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Acting Secretary of Agriculture Gary Washington, chief information officer
Acting Secretary of Commerce Jeremy Pelter, deputy assistant secretary
Acting Secretary of Labor Vince Micone, deputy assistant secretary
Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Dorothy Fink, director of the Office of Women’s Health
Acting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Matt Ammon, director of the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
Acting Secretary of Transportation Judith Kaleta
Acting Secretary of Energy Ingrid Kolb, director of the Office of Management
Acting Secretary of Education Denise Carter, principal deputy chief operating officer for student aid
Acting Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs Todd Hunter, deputy executive director of the Office of Mission Support
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman, director of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Acting Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency James Payne, deputy general counsel
Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget Matthew Vaeth, assistant director for legislative reference
Acting Director of National Intelligence Stacey Dixon, principal deputy director of national intelligence
Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Thomas Sylvester Jr, deputy director for operations
Acting Trade Representative Juan Millán, deputy general counsel for monitoring and enforcement
Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration Everett Woodell, district director for central and southern Ohio
Acting Ambassador to the United Nations (not yet appointed)
Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Brian Driscoll, special agent in charge
Acting Commissioner of Internal Revenue (not yet appointed)
Acting Acting Chair of Science and Technology (not yet appointed)
Acting Chair of the Council of Economic Affairs (not yet appointed)