Trump’s Loyal Aides Return to Complete Their Mission
WASHINGTON – After experiencing a tumultuous transition during his initial term, Donald Trump is swiftly forming his new White House team as president-elect, reappointing key figures from his past administration to jump into action right from the start.
Since his election victory three weeks ago, Trump has put forward 21 of the 24 Cabinet positions and has filled numerous senior White House roles. This is in stark contrast to the chaotic transition of 2016, where Trump replaced his transition chair, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and faced delays in finalizing appointments, leaving many senior federal positions vacant for months.
Returning to the White House are some of Trump’s key backers, including Stephen Miller, known for his immigration reform initiatives; Dan Scavino, a long-time advisor; and Russell Vought, who has been selected to lead the influential Office of Management and Budget. Vought also co-authored the contentious Project 2025 policy outline by the Heritage Foundation.
So far, at least 14 of Trump’s selections for senior staff or Cabinet roles have previously served in his first administration, and that number is likely to increase.
Sean Spicer, Trump’s first press secretary, believes these returning figures are eager to finalize their initiatives. He expects “a high volume of actions right out of the gate” due to their prior experience.
In addition to returning aides, there are also new figures joining Trump’s team, such as Susie Wiles as the chief of staff and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nominee for Health and Human Services. Additionally, there are close advisors outside the administration, including tech mogul Elon Musk, who is leading efforts to overhaul federal operations.
Unlike his previous transition, Trump’s supporters assert there will be no learning curve for the incoming administration.
Spicer remarked, “Typically, it takes several months for an administration to become operational. This time, it will be almost instantaneous. Expect the first ten days to be remarkable. Trump knows he has four years to implement his vision and plans to capitalize on every opportunity.”
The reappearance of Trump’s loyal allies also highlights the significance of loyalty in his administration, especially after some former aides like John Kelly and various press staff, including Sarah Matthews and Stephanie Grisham, became vocal critics following the January 6, 2021, Capitol incident.
In a podcast discussion with Joe Rogan last month, Trump noted that his “greatest mistake” during his first term was hiring “bad, disloyal people.” He acknowledged, “I chose some individuals I shouldn’t have chosen.”
Trump has already revealed some of his immediate plans, including imposing a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China. He has also reiterated his commitment to start deporting undocumented immigrants as soon as he takes office.
Here’s a brief overview of key individuals returning to Washington from Trump’s first term:
Stephen Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy
Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s longest-serving immigration policy advisers, will be taking on the role of deputy chief of staff for policy in the new administration.
At 39 years old, Miller has served as a senior adviser to Trump and the director of speechwriting during Trump’s first term. He played a significant role in shaping the administration’s immigration policies, which included the controversial practice of separating migrant children from their families and instituting travel restrictions on predominantly Muslim nations.
During Trump’s first term, many Democrats accused Miller of harboring white nationalist views, referencing a 2019 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center that detailed over 900 emails he reportedly sent to a former writer for the conservative outlet Breitbart, sharing his perspectives.
In a recent interview on Fox News, Miller stated that Trump has put together an “exceptional policy team” to help fulfill his campaign commitments once he takes office on January 20.
Miller emphasized that the initial days and weeks of Trump’s administration will be remarkably impactful. “The swamp, the deep state, the communists won’t know what has hit them,” he asserted.
Russell Vought, OMB Director
Russell Vought has been chosen by Trump to lead the Office of Management and Budget, a position he held during Trump’s first term.
Vought, who needs Senate confirmation for his role, authored the section on executive authority in Project 2025, a controversial policy framework developed by the conservative Heritage Foundation, which Trump attempted to distance himself from during the 2024 election.
He is a proponent of strong presidential authority to manage federal agencies that operate beyond the White House’s oversight.
“There’s important work yet to be done for the American people, and I feel honored to receive the call again,” Vought remarked in a post on X following his nomination.
Dan Scavino, Deputy Chief of Staff
Dan Scavino, a long-time and trusted aide of Trump, is making a return to the White House as the deputy chief of staff.
He previously held a similar position during Trump’s first term and was also responsible for Trump’s social media presence, managing communications on what is now known as X.
Scavino expressed joy after a federal judge dismissed charges against Trump regarding attempts to overturn the 2020 election at the suggestion of Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.
“I will NEVER FORGET all the tactics used against me! They tried to intimidate, silence, break, and destroy me. MAGA!!!” Scavino posted on X.
Steven Cheung, Director of Communications
Steven Cheung, a dynamic communications director from Trump’s 2024 campaign, will take on the role of director of communications in the White House.
Previously, Cheung served as a communications aide during Trump’s first term after directing rapid response for the 2016 campaign.
Cheung is recognized for his combative style, often echoing Trump’s tone and labeling opponents as “snowflakes” and “cucks” suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
Despite the challenges following Trump’s 2020 election loss and the events of January 6, 2021, Cheung remained loyal to Trump.
William McGinley, White House Counsel
William McGinley, who previously served as White House cabinet secretary during Trump’s first administration, is returning in the role of White House counsel.
During the 2024 campaign, McGinley, a partner at the law firm Holtzman Vogel, was involved with the Republican National Committee’s “Outside Counsel for Election Integrity,” an initiative set up under Trump’s guidance to address alleged election fraud.
Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt, a former assistant will also contribute as a key member of the White House team.
Karoline Leavitt, who served as press secretary during Trump’s first term, is set to return to the role of White House press secretary.
At just 27 years old, Leavitt will make history as the youngest individual to hold this position. She previously worked as the national press secretary for the 2024 Trump campaign.
Leavitt’s rise has been swift; she began as an intern and later worked as an assistant to then-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. At age 25, she ran as the Republican nominee for a seat in Congress in New Hampshire but was defeated by the Democratic incumbent.
Leavitt will take charge of White House press briefings, which were often characterized by tension during Trump’s previous presidency. Recently, on social media platform X, she responded to media critiques about Trump’s so-called “MAGA mandate” following his narrow win against Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, marking the closest popular vote since the year 2000.
“The fake news is trying to downplay President Trump’s significant and historic victory in order to undermine his mandate before he even takes the Oath of Office again,” Leavitt remarked.
Sebastian Gorka, senior director for counterterrorism
Sebastian Gorka, a well-known conservative commentator who worked in Trump’s initial administration, has been appointed as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism in the forthcoming White House.
Previously, Gorka was a strong proponent of Trump’s immigration ban on refugees from predominantly Muslim nations and held a similar position in Trump’s earlier administration.
A close ally of former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Gorka was dismissed from the initial Trump administration after Chief of Staff Kelly’s appointment and Bannon’s exit. Since then, he has hosted his own radio program and a show on Newsmax, and was also a frequent commentator on Fox News.
Originally from Britain and raised by Hungarian parents, Gorka is recognized for viewing Islam as a threat to Western society. He is also vocally pro-Israel, asserting that “there is no such thing as Palestine” and calling for drastic measures following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
John Ratcliffe, CIA director
John Ratcliffe, who previously held the role of director of National Intelligence during Trump’s first term, has been nominated by Trump to become the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Ratcliffe served as the U.S. attorney for eastern Texas from 2007 to 2008, then spent five years in the House as a Republican representative from Texas before Trump chose him for the director of national intelligence position during the final year of his presidency.
Trump initially attempted to appoint Ratcliffe to the Intelligence role in 2019 to succeed the retiring Dan Coats. However, he withdrew after bipartisan concerns about his qualifications. Trump nominated Ratcliffe again in 2020, and this time the Senate confirmed him.
Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO
Matthew Whitaker, who briefly took on the role of acting attorney general during Trump’s first term, has been chosen by Trump to become the U.S. ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, served as acting attorney general from November 2018 to February 2019, in between Trump firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions and appointing Bill Barr.
Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education
Linda McMahon, a billionaire and former wrestling executive, is selected by Trump to be the education secretary after her tenure as administrator of the Small Business Administration during his first term.
Her qualifications in education are scant; she was a member of the Connecticut Board of Education for just one year starting in 2009. McMahon inaccurately claimed to hold a bachelor’s degree in education on her board application, but she actually earned a degree in French.
Since Trump’s first term, McMahon has stayed close to him, serving as the chair of the America First Policy Institute, a conservative organization established by Trump associates in 2021 to advocate for his political agenda. Trump has expressed intentions to dismantle the Department of Education.
Jamieson Greer, U.S. Trade Representative
Jamieson Greer has been proposed as Trump’s United States trade representative, a vital position as Trump aims to implement new import tariffs. Greer served in the previous administration as the chief of staff for trade representative Robert Lighthizer.
The nomination, which needs approval from the Senate, follows Trump’s announcement of executive decisions on his first day to introduce a 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada and a 10% increase on imports from China.
James Braid, Director of Legislative Affairs
James Braid, who previously served as an aide in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during Trump’s first term, is set to rejoin as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. After Trump’s first term, Braid was the lead policy advisor for Vice President-elect JD Vance at the Senate office.
Alex Latcham, Director of the Office of Public Liaison
Alex Latcham will return to the White House as the director of the Office of Public Liaison after serving as special assistant to the president and deputy political director throughout Trump’s first term.
Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council
Kevin Hassett is set to return as the head of the White House National Economic Council, after having served as the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers during Trump’s first term. In a statement revealing his reappointment, Trump praised Hassett for his “critical role” in the passage of the tax cut legislation in 2017.
