Harris, First 'Female Defense Secretary' Candidate?
Trump, Focuses on 'Loyalty' Amid 1st Term Change of Heart
Harris Considers Republican, Trump Reviews Democratic Figures
With the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, speculation is rising about key figures who could hold major cabinet positions if Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.
On the 22nd (local time), the congressional-focused media outlet The Hill reported on prominent individuals likely to be appointed as ministers in each administration depending on whether Harris or Trump wins.
Harris Likely to Appoint William Burns as Secretary of State... First Female Secretary of Defense Possible
If Vice President Harris is elected, The Hill noted that she is expected to retain key figures from the Biden administration while reflecting her past experience as a senator and California Attorney General in her appointments.
The top cabinet position, Secretary of State, is likely to see a change as current Secretary Tony Blinken has indicated he will not remain in a Harris administration. William Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is considered a leading candidate. Director Burns has handled some of the Biden administration’s most sensitive diplomatic missions. Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he visited Moscow to warn Russian President Vladimir Putin, and recently led efforts to broker a ceasefire negotiation between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Other names mentioned include Senator Chris Coons (Delaware), a close ally of President Biden who has long served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Chris Murphy (Connecticut), another senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Harris administration is also seen as likely to produce the first female Secretary of Defense in the U.S. Michelle Flournoy, who served as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy during the Obama administration, is a prominent figure. She was a leading candidate for Secretary of Defense in the Biden administration but was passed over in favor of Lloyd Austin, the first Black Secretary of Defense. Colin Kahl, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and a Biden administration alumnus, and Mara Karlin, Assistant Secretary for Strategy, Planning, and Capabilities, who is female, are also mentioned.
Many speculate that Phil Gordon, Vice President Harris’s National Security Advisor, is a strong candidate for White House National Security Advisor. Gordon has served as Harris’s National Security Deputy Advisor since the start of the Biden administration and was promoted to Vice President’s National Security Advisor in March 2022.
Vice President Harris has stated she intends to include Republicans in her cabinet. Potential Republican figures for the Harris administration include former Representative Adam Kinzinger and former Representative Liz Cheney, both frequent critics of former President Trump. Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay and former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, who was considered for Secretary of Commerce in the Biden administration, is also mentioned. However, it remains unclear what positions Harris might assign to these individuals.
Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina and once considered Harris’s running mate, is a leading candidate for Attorney General. Other names include former Senator Doug Jones, Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts, and Tony West, Harris’s brother-in-law and former Deputy Attorney General during the Obama administration. However, there is speculation that West may not be appointed due to concerns over nepotism.
Regarding Secretary of the Treasury, The Hill forecasts that Janet Yellen, the current Secretary whom Harris respects, may remain in office. Other names mentioned include current Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Jamie Dimon, Chairman of JP Morgan Chase.
Trump’s Second Term to Focus on ‘Loyalty’ Purge... Rubio, Cotton, Haggerty Considered for Secretary of State
The Hill predicts that former President Trump, currently lacking support from key figures in his previous cabinet, will prioritize ‘loyalty’ in appointments for a second term.
Senator Marco Rubio (Florida), who has served on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees and was once considered a vice presidential candidate, is mentioned as a candidate for Secretary of State. The Hill expects him to pass Senate confirmation smoothly. Senator Tom Cotton (Arkansas), an Army veteran, is also considered for Secretary of Defense. However, he has been controversial for advocating military deployment to suppress protests following the 2020 death of George Floyd. Senator Bill Hagerty (Tennessee), who served as Ambassador to Japan during the Trump administration, is another potential candidate. Former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien is also expected to be a strong candidate for Secretary of State or other senior positions.
For Secretary of Defense, Representative Michael Waltz (Florida), who has military service like Senator Cotton, is mentioned. Other candidates include Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State and West Point graduate, and Christopher Miller, who served as Acting Secretary of Defense at the end of Trump’s term. Trump has praised Miller as "very excellent."
For Attorney General, Senator Eric Schmitt (Missouri), former Missouri Attorney General, and Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, are mentioned.
Names from Wall Street are circulating for Secretary of the Treasury, including hedge fund managers John Paulson and Scott Bessent. There is also a possibility of reappointing figures from Trump’s first term such as former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who supported Trump’s aggressive tariff policies, or former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Lighthizer is also mentioned as a candidate for Secretary of Commerce. Other potential candidates include Linda McMahon, co-chair of Trump’s transition team, Senator Hagerty, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, and former Deputy Secretary of State for Economic Growth Keith Krach.
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum is likely to be appointed Secretary of Energy. Trump has praised Governor Burgum during his campaign, saying, "He knows energy better than anyone I know."
Former President Trump has stated he could appoint Democrats to his cabinet if they agree with his views. The Hill notes that while the likelihood of Trump nominating prominent Democrats is low, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was once a Democrat but now supports Trump, could be an option. Former Representative Tulsi Gabbard is also considered a strong candidate.
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