Trump Prioritizes Top Cabinet Positions, Delays Crypto Task Force Formation
Donald Trump has resumed his role as president-elect and is announcing picks for cabinet positions. He plans to hire a “crypto czar,” though the formation of a digital assets task force is currently delayed. His transition team is co-chaired by Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, whose firm has ties to stablecoin issuer Tether, which is reportedly under federal investigation.
Trump, Lutnick, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk have collaborated during the campaign, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Trump stated that Musk will lead a new task force focused on auditing federal government finances and performance.
Susie Wiles, who co-managed Trump’s campaign, is poised to become the first female White House chief of staff. She has informed major Republican donors about Trump’s intention to reinstate executive orders from his previous term, including exiting the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization.
Trump's prospective national security adviser is Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, who shares Trump's stance on Ukraine. Tom Homan, former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is expected to be named border czar. Crypto advocate Vivek Ramaswamy will not serve as Secretary of State; instead, Marco Rubio is being considered, pending Senate approval. Ramaswamy may be a candidate for Vice President-elect JD Vance’s vacant Senate seat.
Key positions still available include Secretary of the Treasury and Defense Secretary, with potential candidates being Robert Wilkie and Robert O’Brien. Regarding the SEC, Trump’s commitment to "fire Gary Gensler on day one" faces legal challenges, but he might appoint current Commissioner Mark Uyeda as acting chair if Gensler remains in position.