As President-elect Donald Trump builds his upcoming administration, his selections diverge from traditional norms but reflect one consistent priority: a personal connection with him.
In assembling his key roles—from chief of staff to the heads of the Justice Department, Pentagon, and Department of Homeland Security—Trump has opted for individuals who are fixtures at his campaign rallies, regular guests at Mar-a-Lago, or staunch defenders on television.
This marks a notable shift from his first administration, where Trump, a political newcomer, selected figures with whom he had little rapport and minimal mutual trust. Now, in his return, he is rewarding his closest allies with high-profile roles. Some of these picks, however, come with minimal relevant experience, and could face challenges in Senate confirmations, even with a Republican majority.
In his latest selections, Trump named Fox News figure Pete Hegseth, lacking government experience, to head the Pentagon; chose conservative firebrand Matt Gaetz as Attorney General despite his lack of law enforcement background; and picked South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has also tasked tech billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who regularly appear at Trump rallies, with revamping the federal bureaucracy, though neither has a history in public office.
These appointments signal Trump’s typical preference for a direct approach, aiming to reassure his base that he intends to keep campaign promises on immigration, political investigations, and reforming military policies on diversity.
“It’s notable that his top picks are people who excel on television, who can effectively represent the public face of their roles,” said David Lewis, a Vanderbilt University professor who has studied presidential appointments. “But there are questions about their ability to manage large bureaucracies and their level of substantive expertise.”
Hegseth and Gaetz’s appointments have already sparked skepticism among Washington leaders. Potential appointees have been visiting Mar-a-Lago, hoping to catch Trump’s attention and secure a place in his administration.
One Trump donor described a scene of Trump and his advisors watching TV clips of candidates and discussing how they perform on air. "He’s looking at how they defend him on TV,” the donor noted.
No More Outsiders
After Trump’s 2016 victory, he appointed outsiders like ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to lead the State Department and retired General Jim Mattis to run the Pentagon. He also tapped Reince Priebus, former head of the Republican National Committee, as chief of staff. However, Trump later replaced both Tillerson and Mattis and went through four chiefs of staff during his first term.
This time, Trump is determined to avoid past missteps, relying on loyalists with whom he’s built relationships over his years as a political figure. He quickly named his trusted co-campaign manager Susie Wiles as chief of staff, tapped former ICE head Tom Homan as “border czar,” and chose former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to lead the CIA.
“Trump’s first term allowed him to train many people who now support his agenda,” said Matt Mowers, a former State Department official and Republican strategist.
Observers note a more streamlined approach to Trump’s recent appointments, contrasting with the 2016 transition when Trump fired then-transition chair Chris Christie over disputes on personnel.
“It’s a much more organized process, without the chaos of the previous transition,” commented Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, a Brookings Institution expert on presidential staffing.
On Wednesday, Trump’s new appointees again included loyalists who advocated for him on the campaign trail and TV—individuals unlikely to oppose his plans for a second term. His choice for Secretary of State, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, brings a background in foreign policy and intelligence, while former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, known for her isolationist views and criticism of “wokeness,” was selected as Director of National Intelligence.
Despite limited intelligence experience, Gabbard has gained popularity on conservative channels like Fox News, where she will likely continue to support Trump in her new role.