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President Trump was sworn into office on Monday, though he has taken the reins of the executive branch without any of his leaders requiring Senate confirmation in place.
Federal agencies will be led in the interim almost exclusively by career federal executives, with Trump only bringing in one individual—the interim head of the General Services Administration—from outside government to serve as a temporary chief. He is not expected to retain any President Biden appointees to temporarily stay in office, as Biden did in 2021 in a few cases for departing Trump officials.
Trump did not disclose the names before his inauguration, following Biden’s timing but otherwise breaking from tradition. The president formally designated the acting leaders quickly after his inauguration in one of his first acts as president.
Some of the officials will serve in the roles for only a few days or less, though others could stay on for longer as bruising confirmation battles play out. Trump has yet to name permanent nominees for GSA and the U.S. Agency for International Development. State Department Secretary-designate Marco Rubio is expected to be the first that the Senate will confirm, potentially followed by John Ratcliffe to serve as CIA director.
Here is a look at the temporary leaders:
Agriculture Department: Gary Washington, a career official who currently serves as the USDA’s chief information officer. Brooke Rollins, a former Trump administration official, is currently awaiting confirmation to be the department’s secretary and will testify at hearing on Jan. 23.
Commerce Department: Jeremy Pelter, a career executive who is currently performing the duties of chief financial officer. Howard Lutnick, who co-led Trump’s transition team, is awaiting a hearing to be the department’s secretary.
Defense Department: Robert Salesses, a career Senior Executive Service employee who has worked in federal government for more than two decades and has twice won the prestigious President Rank Award. Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News contributor, is currently awaiting confirmation to be the department’s secretary after testifying at a hearing on Jan. 14. Trump also tapped long-time career officials to lead each of the military services.
Education Department: Denise Carter, a 30-year career official currently acting as the chief operating officer of Education’s Federal Student Aid office. Carter previously served as a deputy assistant secretary at the Health and Human Services Department. Linda McMahon, a Trump cabinet official in his first term, is currently awaiting confirmation, and a hearing, to be secretary of the department that Trump has vowed to eliminate.
Energy Department: Ingrid Kolb, a career official with decades of experience in government and 20 years of service at Energy. Christopher Wright, who had a hearing on Jan. 15, is currently awaiting confirmation to be the department’s secretary.
Health and Human Services Department: Dorothy Fink, a career executive who leads the Office of Women’s Health. Robert Kennedy is currently awaiting confirmation, and a hearing, to be the department’s secretary.
Homeland Security Department: Benjamine Huffman, a career Senior Executive Service employee who currently serves as Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers director. He previously served as U.S. Border Patrol and several roles at Customs and Border Protection. Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor who testified at a hearing on Jan. 18, is currently awaiting confirmation to be the department’s secretary. She is expected to be among the first to receive a vote before the full Senate.
Housing and Urban Development Department: Matthew Ammon, a career HUD official who also temporarily led the department at the start of the Biden administration. Eric Scott Turner, who served in a White House policy role in Trump’s first term, testified at a hearing last week and is awaiting confirmation to lead the department.
Interior Department: Walter Cruickshank, a career Interior official with 35 years of experience who currently serves as deputy director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Doug Burgum, who testified at a hearing last week, is awaiting confirmation to be the department’s secretary.
Justice Department: James McHenry, a career Justice official who currently serves as chief hearing administrative officer in the Executive Office of Immigration Review, will serve as acting attorney general. He helped implement some of Trump’s policies when he led EOIR during Trump’s first term. Pam Bondi is awaiting confirmation to lead Justice after receiving a confirmation hearing Jan. 15.
Labor Department: Vincent Micone, a long-time career official who currently serves as deputy assistant secretary for Operations in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration. Lori Chavez-DeRemer is awaiting a hearing and confirmation vote to serve as the department’s secretary.
State Department: Lisa Kenna, a career Senior Foreign Service member with the rank of ambassador who currently serves as State’s executive secretary. Her tenure is likely to be particularly short lived as Marco Rubio is expected to receive a confirmation vote to serve as the department’s secretary as soon as Monday.
Treasury Department: David Lebryk, who is currently Treasury’s most senior career employee in his role as fiscal assistant secretary. Scott Bessent had a hearing Jan. 15 and is awaiting confirmation to serve as the department’s secretary.
Transportation Department: Judith Kaleta, who has been the deputy general counsel since 2012. Former Rep. Sean Duffy, Trump’s nominee, had his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15.
Veterans Affairs Department: Todd Hunter, the deputy executive director of the Office of Mission Support. Trump’s pick, former Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., had his confirmation hearing delayed to Tuesday due to delayed paperwork.
EPA: James Payne, who is a deputy general counsel performing delegated duties as general counsel. A confirmation hearing was held for Trump’s nominee, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., on Jan. 16.
Small Business Administration: Everett Woodel, the district director for Central and Southern Ohio. Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., is Trump’s pick to lead the agency.
Office of Management and Budget: Matthew Vaeth, a longtime career official. Trump has tapped Russell Vought, the OMB director from his first term, for the job again. Vought had a confirmation hearing on Jan. 15.
Office of the Director of National Intelligence: Stacey Dixon, the Senate-confirmed principal deputy director of national intelligence. Trump’s pick, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, has proven controversial because of past Russia-aligned public statements.
U.S. Trade Representative: Juan Millan, acting general counsel. Trump has nominated Jamieson Greer, who was a USTR official during Trump’s first term.
CIA: Thomas Sylvester, Jr., the agency’s deputy director for operations. Trump’s pick, former DNI John Ratcliffe, had a confirmation hearing on Jan. 15.
Office of Personnel Management: Charles Ezell, OPM’s branch chief for data and analytics. Trump has nominated businessman Scott Kupor for the permanent position.
General Services Administration: Stephen Ehikian, formerly vice president of product at Salesforce who will serve as the agency’s deputy administrator. Trump has not announced a permanent head for the agency.
Social Security Administration: Michelle King, the agency’s deputy commissioner for operations. Trump has selected businessman Frank Bisignano to lead SSA.
FBI: Brian Driscoll was recently named special agent in charge of the Newark field office. Former director Chris Wray resigned, even though he had three years left of his term, after Trump announced his intention to nominate Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official and federal prosecutor who is regarded as a Trump loyalist.
U.S. Agency for International Development: Jason Gray, the agency’s chief information officer. Trump has not announced a permanent head for this position.
NASA: Janet Petro, the director of the JFK Space Center in Florida. Trump’s pick to lead the agency is businessman and SpaceX investor Jared Isaacman.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Caleb Vitello, a senior ICE official who Trump previously announced would lead the agency in an acting capacity.
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