Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, has nominated Brooke Rollins, CEO of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), as the next Secretary of Agriculture.
In a statement on the 23rd (local time), Trump said, "Brooke will lead efforts to protect the true backbone of our country, the farmers, as our next Secretary of Agriculture," adding, "His dedication to supporting American farmers, preserving food self-sufficiency, and restoring small towns reliant on agriculture is unparalleled."
Rollins, who grew up in a small farming town in Glen Rose, Texas, majored in agricultural development at Texas A&M University. During Trump's first administration, he led the White House Domestic Policy Council, and after Trump's departure, he founded the pro-Trump think tank AFPI, spearheading the creation of a policy agenda in preparation for Trump's return. At one point, he was considered for White House Chief of Staff in Trump's second term, but ultimately, Susie Wiles, co-chair of the campaign, secured the position.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) predicted that if Rollins passes Senate confirmation and takes office, he will participate in discussions on Trump’s tariff policies that could impact American farms. The Department of Agriculture is responsible for managing food assistance, school meals, and other nutrition programs, forest conservation, food inspection, and rural development.
Local media, including The New York Times (NYT), anticipate that key positions in Trump’s second administration will be filled by AFPI personnel rather than those from 'Project 2025' or the Heritage Foundation. Earlier, the NYT reported that since last summer, AFPI has invited conservative figures nationwide to share strategies for handling the Trump second administration’s operations, including combating left-wing federal officials and managing mainstream media. Currently, AFPI is home to many former Trump administration officials who have long sought a return.
The policy booklet titled "The America First Agenda," published by AFPI, is said to embody a stronger 'Trumpism' than the Project 2025 policy book, including mandatory pre-abortion ultrasounds covering drug use, expanded oil production, withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, imposing work requirements on Medicare beneficiaries, and legally recognizing only two genders.
AFPI, a right-wing think tank, was established shortly after Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Democratic candidate Joe Biden. It began when Linda McMahon, co-chair of the Trump transition team, and Howard Lutnick proposed to Texas billionaire oilman Tim Dunn to create an organization to lay the foundation for Trump’s second administration.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
