Trump’s Cabinet And Key Jobs: Katherine MacGregor, Steven Bradbury Among Latest Staff

Topline

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday named several new staff members for his second administration, including Katharine MacGregor as the Deputy Secretary of the Interior and Steven Bradbury as Deputy Secretary of Transportation, among others, in the lead-up to his inauguration.

Key Facts

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Deputy Secretary Of Veterans Affairs: Paul Lawrence

Paul Lawrence, who served as the Veterans Benefits Administration’s under secretary for benefits during Trump’s first term, was chosen by Trump to be the second-in-command of veterans affairs under Doug Collins.

Small Business Administration’s Chief Counsel For Advocacy: Casey Mulligan

Trump tapped Casey Mulligan as chief counsel for advocacy for the Small Business Administration, after Mulligan served as the chief economist for Trump’s Council of Economic Advisors in his first administration.

Deputy Secretary Of Energy: James Danly

Trump announced James Danly, the former commissioner, chairman and general counsel of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, as his pick for Deputy Secretary of Energy.

Deputy Secretary Of The Interior: Katharine Macgregor

Katharine MacGregor, vice president of environmental services at NextEra Energy, was chosen as the deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency by Trump, who cited MacGregor’s time at the Department of the Interior during his first administration.

Deputy Secretary Of Transportation: Steven Bradbury

Trump named Steven Bradbury, the former general counsel of the Department of Transportation and a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, as the next Deputy Secretary of Transportation.

Deputy Administrator Of The Small Business Administration: Bill Briggs

Trump selected Bill Briggs as deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration, citing Briggs’ time as the acting associate administrator in the Office of Capital Access at the agency during Trump’s first term.

Deputy Special Presidential Envoy For The Middle East: Morgan Ortagus

Trump scolded former Fox News contributor Morgan Ortagus in announcing her appointment to the role working under Steven Witkoff, writing in a statement that Ortagus “fought [him] for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson.” Ortagus criticized Trump openly during his 2016 campaign, but supported him after he won the GOP primary and went on to serve as State Department spokesperson for three years under Trump.

State Department Spokesperson: Tammy Bruce

Trump tapped Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce as spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, working under Secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

Ambassador To Estonia: Roman Pipko

Roman Pipko “has extensive experience in dealing with foreign governments, having represented U.S. interests in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Russian American Enterprise Fund,” Trump said in a statement announcing Pipko’s appointment and noting he has also represented American companies in negotiating foreign business deals.

Ambassador To The Netherlands: Joe Popolo

Businessman Joe Popolo will serve as ambassador to the Netherlands, Trump announced in January. Popolo is founder of the private investment company Charles & Potomac Capital, LLC.

Ambassador To Spain: Benjamin Leon Jr.

Benjamin Leon Jr., founder of Leon Medical Centers in Miami, “is a highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian, and philanthropist,” Trump said in a statement announcing his appointment.

Ambassador To Panama: Kevin Marino Cabrera

Trump nominated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera as ambassador to Panama, doing so just a few days after threatening to take over the Panama Canal. Cabrera, who worked as a lead on Trump’s 2020 re-election bid in Florida, represents the residents of Miami, Hialeah, Coral Gables and other neighborhoods within Miami-Dade County. Trump has taken issue with what he called “highly unfair” fees being charged for the use of the Panama Canal and told attendees of a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix the U.S. was being “ripped off.” The president-elect has also accused the Chinese military of illegally operating the Panama Canal, a pillar of maritime travel and trade.

Council Of Economic Advisers Chairman: Stephen Miran

Trump tapped Stephen Miran, who served as a senior adviser for economic policy in the Treasury Department during Trump’s first term and is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute conservative think tank, to lead the three-member panel, though his appointment must be confirmed by the Senate.

Ambassador To Italy: Tilman Fertitta

Trump tapped Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Houston Rockets and the Texas-based restaurant and entertainment company Landry’s as ambassador to Italy. Fores estimates Fertitta, a longtime GOP donor, has a net worth of $10.4 billion.

Special Envoy To The United Kingdom: Mark Burnett

Trump named Mark Burnett as his pick for special envoy to the U.K., noting Burnett’s career as a producer for shows like “Survivor,” “Shark Tank,” “The Voice” and Trump’s “The Apprentice” in announcing the choice. Burnett is the former chairman of MGM and a 13-time Emmy Award winner.

Administrator Of The Federal Railroad Administration: David Fink

Trump tapped David Fink, whom the president-elect referred to as a fifth-generation railroader, to lead the Federal Railroad Administration. Fink is a former president of Pan Am Railways and the son of David Andrew Fink, who served as president of Guilford Transportation before it rebranded as Pan Am.

Head Of The Justice Department’s Office Of Legal Policy: Aaron Reitz

Aaron Reitz, who serves as the chief of staff for Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was nominated by Trump to serve as the head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy. Reitz will lead the office to advance Trump’s “law and order agenda,” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social. Reitz previously served as deputy to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and reportedly wrote after President Joe Biden’s election win in 2020 they would “fight Joe Biden and the Democrats at every turn,” suggesting “everything they do is unconstitutional, illegal, bad for Texas and bad for America.”

Justice Department Chief Of Staff: Chad Mizelle

Trump nominated Chad Mizelle, who served as general counsel and chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during Trump’s first administration, to serve as chief of staff at the Justice Department.

Ambassador To The Holy See: Brian Burch

Trump announced Brian Burch as his pick for ambassador to the Holy See on Friday, praising him as “a devout Catholic, a father of nine, and President of CatholicVote,” a Catholic advocacy group. Burch has notably been a critic of Pope Francis in the past and shared writings from right-wing clerics who criticized the pope, Politico reported. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Burch said he will work “to promote the dignity of all people and the common good” and thanked Trump for the role.

Ambassador To Bahamas: Herschel Walker

Trump picked former football player Herschel Walker to serve as his ambassador to the Bahamas, a job that requires Senate confirmation. A Heisman-winning University of Georgia and NFL running back, Walker ran for a Georgia Senate seat in 2022. He scored the GOP nomination after securing Trump’s endorsement, but he narrowly lost the general election to incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock, after a scandal-filled campaign in which Walker was accused of threatening his ex-wife and paying a woman to get an abortion despite his staunch opposition to the procedure (which he denied). Walker’s relationship with the president-elect goes back to at least the 1980s, when he played for the New Jersey Generals, a short-lived United States Football League team bought by Trump. Decades later, Walker served on a presidential advisory board on fitness and nutrition during Trump’s first term, and he campaigned for Trump earlier this year.

Envoy For Special Missions: Ric Grenell

Former ambassador to Germany and fierce Trump ally Ric Grenell is his pick for the newly created position of envoy for special missions. Grenell, widely considered a contender for secretary of state, previously served as acting director of national intelligence and helped Trump challenge the 2020 election results in Nevada.

Ambassador To Ireland: Edward Sharp Walsh

Trump nominated Edward Sharp Walsh, president of construction and real estate firm the Walsh Company, as his ambassador to Ireland. Walsh, Trump said in a statement, “is a great philanthropist in his local community, and previously served as the Chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Board.”

Chairman Of The President’s Intelligence Advisory Board: Devin Nunes

Devin Nunes, the chief executive of Trump-owned Truth Social, was announced as Trump’s nominee for chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, a panel that advises the president on matters related to U.S. intelligence. Nunes, a longtime Trump ally, led the House Intelligence Committee in Trump’s first administration. He will remain as Truth Social’s CEO while serving on the panel, Trump said.

Deputy Secretary Of Homeland Security: Troy Edgar

Trump nominated Troy Edgar as his pick for Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, citing Edgar’s experience as Homeland Security’s chief financial officer. Edgar was named to that role in May 2020, and previously served as the mayor of Los Alamitos, California. He is the host of the podcast “Ameritocracy,” which he says explores “merit, success and the conditions for personal and professional growth across America,” and is an executive at IBM as the company’s finance and supply chain transformation leader, according to his LinkedIn.

Deputy Secretary Of State For Management And Resources: Michael Rigas

Trump named Michael Rigas, who served in the Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget during Trump’s first term, as deputy secretary of state for management and resources.

Ambassador To Belgium: Bill White

Trump selected Bill White, the former president of the…