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PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CABINET

What you need to know about the men and women who have been chosen to lead the administration in 2017.

  • Image: Pence Swears in Education Secretary Betsy DeVos

    MIKE PENCE

    VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

    MIKE PENCE

    VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

    SWORN IN

    The Job: Second top elected official in the country, Senate president and first in the presidential line of succession

    -Signed controversial religious freedom bill as Indiana governor that allowed LGBT discrimination

    -Attempted to stop Syrian refugees from resettling in Indiana

    -Supports anti-abortion policies

    -A Democrat as a teen, Pence says he converted to Republican Party after listening to Ronald Reagan

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  • Image: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson removes his glasses after delivering remarks to Department of State employees upon arrival at the Department of State in Washington

    REX TILLERSON

    SECRETARY OF STATE

    REX TILLERSON

    SECRETARY OF STATE

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Top diplomat for the U.S. concerned primarily with foreign affairs and relations

    -CEO of ExxonMobil (Roughly $500 million total assets, some in Russia and China, documents show)

    -Faced bipartisan criticism for close ties to Russia and President Putin

    -No government or public service experience

    -Reportedly considered resigning this summer and called Trump a 'moron' at a Pentagon meeting in July

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  • Image: Retired Marine Corps general James Mattis testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on his nomination to be the next secretary of defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 12, 2017.

    JAMES MATTIS

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

    JAMES MATTIS

    SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Second only to the president in the military chain of command

    -Retired Marine general

    -Popular among both parties

    -Given a waiver by Congress that recent military personnel need to be allowed to serve as Secretary of Defense

    -Led the 1st Marine Division advance on Baghdad

    -Supports remaining in Iran nuclear deal, which Trump has called "one of the worst and most one-sided" deals ever made by the U.S.

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  • Image: Steven Mnuchin testifies before Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill

    STEVEN MNUCHIN

    SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

    STEVEN MNUCHIN

    SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Main financial, monetary and tax policy adviser. Includes oversight of the treasury department's law enforcement activities

    -Former Goldman Sachs employee & One West bank manager during foreclosure crisis

    -Said he would research potential issues stemming from Trump's foreign debts

    -Violated the Service Members Civil Relief Act by foreclosing on active-duty military families

    -No government experience

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  • Image: Attorney General-designate, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2017.

    JEFF SESSIONS

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    JEFF SESSIONS

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Nation's top law enforcement official and chief lawyer

    -One of the Senate's most conservative members

    -Has fought to limit LGBTQ protections and was denied a judgeship in 1986 for alleged racist comments

    -Does not support a ban on Muslim immigration

    -Recused himself from Justice Department's Russia investigation

    -On Twitter, Trump has characterized him as "beleaguered" and "VERY weak"

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  • Image: Senate Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing For Rep. Mike Pompeo To Become Director Of C.I.A.

    MIKE POMPEO

    CIA DIRECTOR

    MIKE POMPEO

    CIA DIRECTOR

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Top spy managing the agency responsible for surveillance and intelligence gathering activities abroad

    -Said he would not support the use of waterboarding

    -Accepted intelligence community's assessment of Russian electoral interference

    -Served on the House Intelligence Committee

    -As GOP congressman, he supported mass surveillance programs that gathered information on Americans

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  • Ryan Zinke

    RYAN ZINKE

    SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

    RYAN ZINKE

    SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Manages federal lands & natural resources, including national parks

    -GOP congressman from Montana

    -Under at least three seperate Interior Department investigations relating to threatening phone calls made to Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, premature large-scale reassignment of senior officals, and chartered air travel

    -Has proposed shrinking at least four National Monuments, including reducing Bears Ears National Monument, an Obama era creation, from 1.35 million acres to 160,000

    -Strong supporter of fossil fuels

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  • Sonny Perdue

    SONNY PERDUE

    SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

    SONNY PERDUE

    SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

    The Job: Maintains the safety of domestically sold food, coordinates food availability programs and advises farmers

    -Former Georgia governor

    -Served on Trump's agricultural advisory committee during the campaign

    -Once prayed for rain on the steps of the Georgia Capitol

    -A veterinarian by trade

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  • Image: Wilbur Ross testifies before a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be commerce secretary at Capitol Hill in Washington

    WILBUR ROSS

    SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

    WILBUR ROSS

    SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Promotes American businesses and industries to develop commerce at home & abroad

    -Will be in charge of negotiating new trade deals

    -No public service record

    -Billionaire with vast financial holdings

    -Longtime Democratic donor

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  • ALEXANDER ACOSTA

    ALEXANDER ACOSTA

    SECRETARY OF LABOR

    ALEXANDER ACOSTA

    SECRETARY OF LABOR

    NOMINATED

    The Job: Enforces regulations and laws relating to labor organizations and business-worker disputes

    -Dean of Florida International University College of Law

    -Was assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division under President George W. Bush

    -Would be first Hispanic in Trump's cabinet

    -Nominated after Andrew Puzder withdrew from consideration

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  • U.S. Rep. Price testifies before Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington

    TOM PRICE

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

    TOM PRICE

    SECRETARY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

    RESIGNED

    The Job: Deal with the nation's health matters

    -Tom Price resigned on September 29th, 2017, after it was revealed he had cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in private and military chartered flights

    -He had introduced comprehensive Obamacare replacement plans in every Congress since 2009

    -Traded more than $300,000 worth of health care stocks during a period in which he sponsored or co sponsored 44 pieces of health care industry legislation

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  • US-POLITICS-TRUMP-CARSON-politique

    BEN CARSON

    SECRETARY OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT

    BEN CARSON

    SECRETARY OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Increase home-ownership rates and grow affordable housing

    -Former neurosurgeon with no government experience

    -Expressed interest in other cabinet posts before being nominated

    -Grew up in inner-city Detroit, which Trump has cited as a reason Carson can do the job

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  • Image: Elaine Chao appears before the Senate The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for her confirmation hearing to be US Secretary of Transportation, Jan. 11, 2017.

    ELAINE CHAO

    SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

    ELAINE CHAO

    SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Oversees the nation's federal transportation policies & infrastructure

    -Former Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush

    -Well liked by politicians on both sides of the aisle

    -Supported by portions of Silicon Valley

    -Married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

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  • Image: Betsy DeVos listens during her confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Capitol Hill on Jan. 17, 2017 in Washington, D.C.

    BETSY DEVOS

    SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

    BETSY DEVOS

    SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Primary adviser on federal education policy & programs

    -Longtime supporter and advocate for school choice and voucher policies

    -Supports requiring the government to pay for private and charter school tuitions

    -Refused to rule out defunding public schools

    -Intends to revoke Obama-era Title IX guidelines for schools investigating sexual assault

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  • Image: Senate Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing For Rick Perry To Become Energy Secretary

    RICK PERRY

    SECRETARY OF ENERGY

    RICK PERRY

    SECRETARY OF ENERGY

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Manages nuclear waste and safeguards nuclear armament, in addition to considering environmental protections

    -Previously said he wanted to eliminate the Department of Energy (later said he regretted the remarks)

    -Pledged to modernize the country's nuclear stockpile

    -Wants to promote domestic energy production in "all forms"

    -Promised to rely on scientific data when making climate change decisions

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  • Image: Retired General Kelly testifies before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee confirmation hearing on Kelly?EUR(TM)s nomination to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington

    JOHN KELLY

    WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF

    JOHN KELLY

    WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF

    The Job: The President's gatekeeper — manages staff and controls the flow of information and visitors to the President

    -Retired Marine four-star general

    -Formerly secretary of homeland security

    -Replaced former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on July 31, 2017

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  • US-POLITICS-CONFIRMATION-VETERANS

    DAVID SHULKIN

    SECRETARY OF VETERAN'S AFFAIRS

    DAVID SHULKIN

    SECRETARY OF VETERAN'S AFFAIRS

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Oversees management of veteran's health care, cemeteries, monuments & benefits

    -Current undersecretary for health at the VA

    -Has been praised by veterans organizations

    -Would be the first non-veteran to lead the VA

    -Vowed to "straighten out the VA"

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  • Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley presents her credentials to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at U.N. headquarters in New York City

    NIKKI HALEY

    U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

    NIKKI HALEY

    U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Represents the country on the U.N. Security Council & other U.N. assemblies

    -Former governor of South Carolina

    -Criticized Russia during her confirmation hearing

    -Supports Israel, would have vetoed U.N. resolution condemning settlements

    -Pledged to speak up when she disagrees with President Trump

    -Does not support a Muslim registry

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  • Image: Oklahoma Attorney General and President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt testifies during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 18, 2

    SCOTT PRUIT

    ADMINISTRATOR OF THE EPA

    SCOTT PRUIT

    ADMINISTRATOR OF THE EPA

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Enforce environmental regulations & recommending policy

    -Has sued the EPA repeatedly as Oklahoma AG

    -Believes climate change exists, but disputes effect human activity has had on climate

    -Lobbied for oil companies while in office

    -Under EPA investigation for the frequency of taxpayer-funded travel to his home state of Oklahoma

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  • Image: Robert Lighthizer

    ROBERT LIGHTHIZER

    U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

    ROBERT LIGHTHIZER

    U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

    NOMINATED

    The Job: Develop, recommend, and negotiate U.S. trade policy

    -Former deputy U.S. trade representative under President Ronald Reagan

    -Long supporter on tariffs on foreign imports

    -Critic of free trade

    -Longtime critic of Chinese trade practices

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  • Image: Budget Director-designate Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., pauses as he testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2017.

    MICK MULVANEY

    BUDGET DIRECTOR

    MICK MULVANEY

    BUDGET DIRECTOR

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Drafts the president's budget & audits the quality of agency programs

    -Fiscal conservative

    -Elected in 2010, during the Tea Party wave

    -Supported shutting down the government over increasing budgets

    -Acknowledged that he failed to pay payroll taxes for a household employee

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  • Image: Trump's Nominee To Be Small Business Admin Administrator LInda McMahon Testifies During Her Confirmation Hearing

    LINDA MCMAHON

    ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

    LINDA MCMAHON

    ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

    CONFIRMED

    The Job: Provides support to small businesses and start-ups

    -Co-founded pro wrestling company WWE

    -Formerly a major donor to pro-Trump super PACs

    -Ran two unsuccessful campaigns for U.S. Senate

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  • Andy Puzder

    ANDREW PUZDER

    SECRETARY OF LABOR

    ANDREW PUZDER

    SECRETARY OF LABOR

    WITHDREW

    The Job: Enforces regulations and laws relating to labor organizations and business-worker disputes

    -CEO of fast-food company that owns the Chains Carl's Jr. and Hardees

    -Criticized by Brietbart, Numbers USA, others for pro-immigrant views

    -Condemned by Democrats, progressive and labor groups as anti-workers rights

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