WHO WILL BE TRUMP'S SECRETARY OF DEFENSE? ANALYZING LIKELY CANDIDATES
The 2024 election had just ended, and it was a victory for Donald Trump as he won against contender Kamala Harris. Now, the next struggle is who will he choose to join his Cabinet. He is eyeing a few lists of prospective people to join his party. Multimedia outlets have reported several names that will fill important roles. It was also revealed that the new President's transition team is racing to complete the lineup. However, Trump's Secretary of Defense has not yet been named, but one thing is for sure: he will look to reshape the Pentagon and pick a loyalist.
Trump's Lineup for His Administration
Although he did not publicly discuss this, the reelected President Donald Trump is always in search of those who can join his Cabinet. Even though he is on frequent plane rides due to his campaign, he will make them for a specific position whenever he sees a potential talent. Trump's Cabinet was confirmed at a slow pace; this is due to the Democrats taking everything slowly, only to realize high turnover in those top positions during his four years in office. Here are some of the highlights of potential contenders for the position of defense secretary during his second term.
Robert Wilkie
He served as Trump's former Veterans' Affairs secretary, and prior to his 2018 confirmation, he was the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness under Trump. Wilkie is also a Veteran, as he served in both the Navy and Air Force Reserve. He is being viewed as a strong contender.
Brooke Rollins
She is a close ally to the president-elect, and Rollins is a strong contender to be the next White House Chief of Staff. She is being viewed as one of Trump's more moderate allies.
Robert O' Brien
Robert O' Brien was previously involved with the Trump administration, as he served as his former national security advisor. When asked if he would return to the Trump administration, Brien responded "yes" without hesitation. He has also been an outspoken voice on the need to pivot U.S. defenses to China.
Susie Wiles
She is his campaign chief and a strong contender for the Chief of Staff. Wiles was pivotal in helping deliver Trump to the White House for the second time.
Mike Pompeo
He served as the CIA director and the Secretary of State when Trump first won office. Mike Pompeo's name has been floated a lot for this position. However, on Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would not be joining the administration.
Richard Grenell
He is considered Trump's most persistent ally, and is seen as one of the candidates to fill in national security and foreign policy roles. He could also be Trump's next Cabinet national security adviser.
Joni Ernst
It has been speculated that Joni Ernst, the current GOP conference chair, would be up for the position. However, it has been confirmed that she is instead remaining focused on the GOP conference chair race.
However, if she were to be selected for the position, she would be the first female defense secretary. She is also a Veteran, serving in the Army Reserve and Iowa Army National Guard.
Robert Kennedy Jr.
Another leading person who will play a vital role in Trump's administration is Robert Kennedy Jr. He is being eyed as a czar-like official within the administration.
Robert Lighthizer
He is another top trade contender in the Trump administration, and there is a word that he might be taking on the Treasury secretary role.
Marco Rubio
He is a Republican Senator and was Trump's major supporter in the Senate. Rubio is always against China and was also in the running to be Trump's vice presidential pick.
Tulsi Gabbard
Ex-Democrat, Tulsi Gabbard is one of the latest to eye the position of Secretary of Defense. It has been reported by The Post, that Gabbard was "going to privately petition Trump early this week" about becoming the next Secretary of Defense. She has also expressed interest in becoming the next CIA director.
Mike Rogers
Lastly, Mike Rogers, the head of the House Armed Services is under consideration. However, it has been expressed that Trump is likely to make his selection from the private sector, and won't choose a member of Congress.
Who Will be Trump's Secretary of Defense?
The announcement was not yet official, but some prominent names are circulating in terms of holding the Secretary of Defense post. Some of the most prominent names include Mike Pompeo. However, Trump debunked this allegation, saying Pompeo would not be joining his administration. Another person who is being eyed is Representative Mike Waltz of Florida; however, he has been tapped to be Trump's national security adviser.
Some positions may still hang for days even with Trump's Secretary of Defense as the lineup is not final yet. Senior adviser Mark Cancian mentioned that the choice of the Defense Secretary will reflect how Trump wants to deal with the Pentagon. Even a person with a strong dramatic background may not be able to make an impact on the organization.
With a list of empty seats yet, Trump is expected to lean over who can back his desire to end the use of the military to control the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. involvement in any wars, and take a hard line on Iran. The only question now is who will be willing to do whatever the newly elected President wants, as he doesn't want to experience the pushback that he got from the Pentagon in the past.
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