Transfer of presidential power from Joe Biden to Donald Trump
Second presidential transition of Donald Trump
President Joe Biden (right) and President-elect Donald Trump (left) meet in the Oval Office of the White House as part of the presidential transition on November 13, 2024.
On August 27, attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard were also selected as honorary co-chairs, both of whom were former Democrats that had recently endorsed Trump.[5] Kennedy had originally mounted an independent presidential bid before withdrawing from the race to endorse Trump, reportedly in exchange for a Cabinet position in his administration.[6]
In October, The New York Times noted how Trump had refused to sign standard agreements around ethics and disclosure in order to begin key aspects of the transition process. The internal ethics pledges signed by Trump staff so far have been more lenient than standard pledges signed by Harris's transition team and the Trump team does not have to disclose its donors to the transition effort until Trump signs the agreements.[7] Furthermore, the General Services Administration cannot supply any assistance such as office space or IT equipment until the agreements are signed, leading the Partnership for Public Service to call the delay a "tremendous and unnecessary" national security risk.[8] In October, Politico reported on how potential conflicts of interest surrounding co-chair Howard Lutnick had created tension within the transition team and criticism of the transition effort.[9] On November 24, Politico described Trump's refusal to accept federal transition assistance as a potential national security concern and "unprecedented in the modern presidential system". It highlighted their refusal as having "freed the Trump transition from having to abide by a $5,000 cap on donations and a requirement to disclose their donors".[10]
On November 26, Trump signed a transition agreement that allows his staff to work with federal agencies and access information. Trump's transition team ruled out signing a memorandum of understanding with the General Services Administration, instead opting to use an independently drafted ethics plan; an agreement with the Department of Justice, which allows background checks and security clearances with the Federal Bureau of Investigation required for Senate confirmation of certain positions, was belatedly signed on December 3.[11][12][13]
In the early morning of November 6, major news outlets projected that Trump would win the 2024 presidential election. During her concession speech that evening, Vice President Kamala Harris committed to a peaceful transition of power.[14] The following day, President Joe Biden appeared at a press event at the Rose Garden where he named "the steps he was taking" in coordinating a White House transition.[15]
On November 9, in a statement from White House Press SecretaryKarine Jean-Pierre, it was announced President-elect Donald Trump would meet with Biden the following Wednesday, on Biden's own invitation.[16] Trump and Biden met in the Oval Office on November 13 for slightly less than two hours, with both calling for a "smooth transition" and Trump expressing his appreciation for Biden's efforts.[17] Trump's Mar-a-Lago became the center of the transition process, with job-seekers, media, and Trump friends and advisors filling the resort and nearby West Palm Beach hotels.[18]
On three separate occasions during the 2024 campaign, Trump had promised that, should he win the election, he would bring the Russian invasion of Ukraine to an end during the transition period, assuring voters that this would happen "before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency" (said in June), "before I even become president" (September), and "while I'm president-elect" (October), and that he would need only 24 hours to accomplish this task. On January 19, 2025, The New York Times reported that not only had Trump failed to bring the war to an end, but he had "also made no known serious effort to resolve the war since his election in November".[20]
On November 7, Susie Wiles was announced as the White House Chief of Staff. She will begin her duties following Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025. She will be the first woman to hold this position.[24] Wiles had previously worked as a campaign manager for Trump's presidential campaigns in 2016, 2020, and 2024.[25]
On November 9, it was reported that Robert Lighthizer would be re-appointed to the role of US Trade Representative.[26] Four days later, it was reported that Lighthizer would instead likely take the White House position of "trade czar".[27]
On November 10, Trump announced that Tom Homan, who previously served as the acting director of ICE in the last Trump administration, would be appointed "border czar" with full oversight of border controls north and south of the US.[28][29] Aside from the positions listed below, Trump has also nominated as key White House staffers former Cabinet Secretary Bill McGinley as his next White House Counsel[30] and real estate investor Steve Witkoff as his special envoy to the Middle East.[31]
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden greet President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, November 13, 2024, on the South Portico of the White House.
On November 15, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump was considering Fox Business host and former director of the National Economic CouncilLarry Kudlow for a "senior economic role",[60] and Trump announced that Steven Cheung and Sergio Gor would serve as White House communications director and personnel director, respectively.[61] Also, Trump, in a statement, confirmed that alongside his nomination for Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum would serve as Energy Czar, "chairman of the newly formed, and very important, National Energy Council which will consist of all departments and agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation of all forms of American energy."[62] Former press secretary of Trump's third presidential campaignKaroline Leavitt was confirmed as White House Press Secretary, the youngest to ever be appointed to this position.[63]
Donald Trump at a UFC fight on November 16, 2024, with Elon Musk, Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr, Mike Johnson, and Vivek Ramaswamy.
On November 16, Trump announced Chris Wright, the chief executive of oil and natural gas fracking services company Liberty Energy as his nominee for Secretary of Energy. He also announced that Wright will also serve as part of the new National Energy Council. Wright has acknowledged the link between burning fossil fuels and climate change but has expressed doubt that climate change is linked to worsening extreme weather. A staunch supporter of fossil fuels in public interviews, he considers them as necessary to lift the developing world out of poverty.[64][65][66]
On November 21, former Representative Matt Gaetz announced his withdrawal from consideration as Trump's Attorney General pick, reportedly due to lack of support for his nomination in the Senate.[75] Former Florida Attorney GeneralPam Bondi was announced as the new nominee for Attorney General.[76][77][78][79]
On December 1, Trump announced Lebanese-American businessman and Tiffany Trump's father-in-law Massad Boulos as the Senior Advisor to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs.[115]
On January 2, Trump nominated Charles and Potomac Capital CEO Joe Popolo to be Ambassador to the Netherlands;[173] León Medical Centers founder Benjamin Leon to be Ambassador to Spain;[174] and Ken Kies for Assistant Treasury Secretary For Tax Policy;[175] Alexandra Preate for senior counsel to the Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, David Katz for Treasury Chief of Staff, Cora Alvi and Samantha Schwab for Treasury Deputy Chief of Staff, granddaughter of founder, chairman, and former CEO of Charles Schwab CorporationCharles R. Schwab, and Hunter McMaster for Director of Policy Planning, nephew of South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.[176][177]
On January 10, Trump said he had picked Ed Russo to lead the Environmental Advisory Task Force. Trump also announced that Bill Briggs will be the Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Head of DOJ's Office of General Counsel: Aaron Reitz
Ruled out
On November 10, 2024, Trump announced in a post to Truth Social that Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo would not be included in his second administration and thanked them for their service to the country.[195]
On November 15, 2024, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith withdrew her name from consideration for Secretary of Agriculture stating "It's an honor to be mentioned as a potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, but my plans are to remain in the Senate and continue to deliver for the people of Mississippi".[200][201]
Despite the nature of the 2024 House elections that left Republicans with a narrow majority, Trump has picked several incumbent House members for his cabinet. Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker, raised concern about too many special elections throwing the majority back into chaos. Trump has so far picked three House members, but is not expected to nominate more.[203]
Withdrew from consideration
On November 21, Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration for Attorney General. He is replaced as Donald Trump's nominee by Pam Bondi, the former Attorney General of Florida.[204]
On December 3, Chad Chronister withdrew his name from consideration for Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Trump has not yet announced a replacement.[205]
The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.
Kathleen Troia McFarland is an American political commentator, civil servant, author, and former political candidate.
Barack Obama assumed office as the 44th president of the United States on January 20, 2009, and his term ended on January 20, 2017. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
John Joseph Sullivan is an American attorney and government official who served as the United States Ambassador to Russia from 2020 to 2022, and who previously served as the 19th United States Deputy Secretary of State from 2017 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Sullivan served as Acting United States Secretary of State from April 1, 2018, to April 26, 2018, following President Donald Trump's dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on March 13, 2018, until Tillerson's official successor, Mike Pompeo, was sworn in. Tillerson did not officially leave office until March 31, 2018. Sullivan, however, was delegated all responsibilities of the Secretary of State beginning March 13.
John Lee Ratcliffe is an American politician and attorney who served as the director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021. He previously served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 4th district from 2015 to 2020. During his time in Congress, Ratcliffe was regarded as one of the most conservative members. Ratcliffe also served as mayor of Heath, Texas, from 2004 to 2012 and acting United States attorney for the Eastern District of Texas from May 2007 to April 2008.
Donald Trump assumed office as the 45th president of the United States on January 20, 2017, and his first term ended on January 20, 2021. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
This is a list of political appointments of current officeholders made by the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Members of the Cabinet of the United States are nominated by the president and are then confirmed or rejected by the Senate. Listed below are unsuccessful cabinet nominees—that is, individuals who were nominated and who either declined their own nomination, failed the confirmation vote in the Senate, or whose nomination was withdrawn by the president. The latter category includes near nominations, meaning presumptive choices made by a president or president-elect that never progressed to formal nomination stage. Nominations to cabinet-rank positions are also included in this page.
Jessie Kong Liu is an American lawyer who was the United States attorney for the District of Columbia. She previously worked as deputy general counsel at the U.S. Treasury and served at the Justice Department. In 2020, she joined the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom as a partner.
Joe Biden assumed office as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021, and his term ended on January 20, 2025. The president has the authority to nominate members of his Cabinet to the United States Senate for confirmation under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.
The presidential transition of Joe Biden began on November 7, 2020, and ended on January 20, 2021. Unlike previous presidential transitions, which normally take place during the roughly 10-week period between the election in the first week of November and the inauguration on January 20, Biden's presidential transition was shortened somewhat because the General Services Administration under the outgoing first Trump administration did not recognize Biden as the "apparent winner" until November 23.
The 119th United States Congress is the current term of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened on January 3, 2025, during the final 17 days of Joe Biden's presidency, and will end in 2027. It will meet during the first two years of Donald Trump's second presidency.
The second and current tenure of Donald Trump as the president of the United States began on January 20, 2025, when he was inaugurated as the 47th president. Trump, who previously served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021, and was impeached twice, took office following his victory over Democratic incumbent vice president Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. He is the second president in U.S. history to serve nonconsecutive terms after Grover Cleveland in 1893, the oldest individual to assume the presidency, the first to take office after having been impeached, and the first convicted felon to take office. Following his victories in the 2016 and 2024 elections, he is not eligible for a third term according to the 22nd Amendment.
Donald Trump assumed office as the 47th president of the United States on January20, 2025.
This is a list of political appointments of officeholders made by the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump.
The 2025 Florida's 1st congressional district special election will be held on April 1, 2025 to fill a vacant seat in Florida's 1st congressional district previously occupied by Matt Gaetz, who resigned on November 13, 2024, after president-elect Donald Trump nominated him for attorney general of the United States. Gaetz later withdrew his nomination for attorney general on November 21. The following day, Gaetz announced he would not return to Congress. Primary elections will take place on January 28, 2025. It is considered a safely Republican district.
↑ "Nomination Hearing". United States Senate Committee On Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Senate Website. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
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