Trump's speedy Cabinet picks show his 'priority to put America first,' transition team says
West Palm Beach, Fla.— President-elect Donald Trump has announced more than a dozen Cabinet picks just a week after he was declared victorious in his race against Vice President Kamala Harris, reflecting his commitment to putting "America first," the campaign told Fox News Digital.
"The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin, giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail — and his Cabinet picks reflect his priority to put America First. President Trump will continue to appoint highly qualified men and women who have the talent, experience and necessary skill sets to Make America Great Again," Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital when asked about Trump's speedy roll-out of Cabinet picks.
Trump sailed to victory last week after securing electoral votes from toss-up states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia. All in, he earned 312 electoral votes — sweeping all seven of the battleground states — and won the popular vote.
"America first" and "Make America Great Again" were hallmarks of Trump's campaign, including during his historic rally at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan last month.
"We stand on the verge of the four greatest years in the history of the U.S.A. With your help from now until Election Day, we will restore America's promise. We will put America first, and we will take back the nation that we all love," he said at MSG. "We bleed the same blood. We share the same home, and we salute the same great American flag. We are one people, one family and one glorious nation under God. We will never give in. We will never give up. We will never ever back down, and we will never, ever, ever surrender. Together, we will fight, fight, fight, and we will win, win, win."
TRUMP PICKING CABINET AT BREAKNECK SPEED COMPARED TO 2016
Shortly after his win at the ballot box, Trump began rolling out his picks for his Cabinet. As of Wednesday afternoon, Trump has announced 17 names for his administration, including Susie Wiles as his chief of staff, longtime ally Dan Scavino as his deputy chief of staff and Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.
Trump has announced the picks via emails to the media and supporters, coming at a faster pace than in 2016, when he was elected to his first term in the Oval Office, Fox News Digital found earlier this week.
Trump announced on Nov. 11, for example, that New York Rep. Elise Stefanik will serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. During the 2016 transition cycle, Trump announced then-Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina would fill that same role on Nov. 23. Haley went on to run unsuccessfully in 2024 for the GOP presidential nomination.
LOYALTY MATTERS: TRUMP PICKS ALLIES AND SUPPORTERS TO FILL OUT HIS ADMINISTRATION
He also tapped Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser, announcing that pick on Tuesday, about three days ahead of his announcement for the same role in 2016, when he chose former Army Gen. Mike Flynn for the position about 10 days after Election Day.
Trump also announced he chose former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a pick Trump didn’t make until Dec. 7, 2016, when he tapped Scott Pruitt to serve in the role.
ELON MUSK, VIVEK RAMASWAMY TO LEAD TRUMP'S DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY
Trump's first pick for his administration, Susie Wiles for chief of staff, was announced the day after the election, while his 2016 announcement of Reince Priebus as chief of staff was made five days after the election.
"Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud," Trump said after the selection of Wiles.
Trump briefly traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday, where he met with congressional Republicans and then went to the White House for a meeting with President Biden before heading back home to Florida.
"I look forward… to having a smooth transition. We'll do everything we can to make sure you're accommodated, what you need," Biden said during a short portion of the meeting when reporters were granted access to the Oval Office.
Trump added that "politics is tough, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today."
"I appreciate very much the transition that's so smooth. It will be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that," Trump continued.
Trump was joined by high-profile officials on his transition team and upcoming administration, including Wiles and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
TRUMP'S PICKS SO FAR: HERE'S WHO WILL BE ADVISING THE NEW PRESIDENT
Musk endorsed Trump over the summer and soon began campaigning for him, most notably in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania. Trump announced on Tuesday evening that Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new task force he is calling the Department of Government Efficiency.
"I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency ("DOGE"). Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement," Trump said in his announcement.
"It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time. Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of "DOGE" for a very long time. To drive this kind of drastic change, the Department of Government Efficiency will provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before," the announcement continued.
Trump is expected to continue quickly announcing his Cabinet picks as he continues establishing his administration ahead of Jan. 20. Trump had pledged throughout the campaign to "make America great again" for voters of all political stripes, putting emphasis on gutting some federal agencies and even dismantling them altogether, such as the Department of Education.
Fox News' Michael Lee, Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.