They’re vetted, they’re loyal, and they’re ready to go.
Before President-elect Donald Trump tapped them for top positions in his nascent administration, five of his nominees were in line to become his running mate. But four months after being passed over for that coveted role, they’re being given big jobs to make up for it as he quickly puts together his Cabinet.
Elise Stefanik is the choice for UN Ambassador, Kristi Noem for Homeland Security and Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. Tulsi Gabbard is Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence and Doug Burgum for secretary of the interior.
J.D. Vance got the VP nod over them all: Governor Burgum of North Dakota was too lame, Governor Noem of South Dakota too toxic after writing about killing the family dog.
But Trump has found them suitable for other roles.
Most importantly, they’ve already cleared the highest bar in Trump World: loyalty to the director.
“The reason they were considered vice presidential material in the first place is because the president felt not only that they were loyal, but that they would be effective in pushing his agenda,” said Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary.
In Stefanik’s case, the president-elect chose a Republican who became a die-hard Trump supporter for the prestigious role. Through her leadership as chair of the Republican conference in the House of Representatives, the New Yorker proved a useful surrogate for Trump on cable news programs this year, publicly grilling college presidents on anti-Semitism on campus. She failed to become VP, but was soon selected for the UN job.
“Hundreds of news stories have been written about Elise and her rise from moderate to MAGA,” and the same goes for Rubio, said a person familiar with the discussions who was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. “Every reporter in town has exhausted every opposing position on these two people.”
Dusting off his list of possible running mates has helped Trump accelerate his appointments faster than any recent transition, announcing top picks within a week of the election.
President Joe Biden did not officially announce a top Cabinet pick until November 23, three weeks after Election Day, and 16 days after the race was called in his favor. Barack Obama also took three weeks to make appointments, while George W. Bush did not make any announcements until December, given the lengthy legal battle over calling that race in 2000.
Part of the reason for Trump’s speed in second term is the way he used his time out of office — a period Spicer described as the Republican leader being “in the wilderness.” Trump and the organization around him took the opportunity to reflect on “people, processes and policies,” Spicer said.
Having a good idea of who could fill these spots is a big change from eight years ago, when his transition was marred by dysfunction and appointments were announced later in the process. Trump himself told podcaster Joe Rogan in October that his biggest mistake during his first term was hiring certain people who he said turned out to be “disloyal.”
Kevin Cabrera, a Miami commissioner who served as Trump’s Florida state director in 2020, pointed to that interview when asked about Trump’s latest selections. Some former staff members, Cabrera said, were “people who were more concerned with their own personal agendas than his.”
“This time,” Cabrera added, “I think he did a good job of electing people who advanced his agenda and showed that he will be the priority.”
Trump has shown little concern for personal scandals, as evidenced by his attorney general pick: former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who faced a House Ethics investigation into alleged sexual contact with a minor and illegal drug use.
Gaetz, who led the impeachment of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has long denied the allegations and criticized the committee in a lengthy letter he made public in September, calling it a “political payback exercise ‘ mentioned. The House Ethics Committee does not plan to release its report on Gaetz after he abruptly resigned from the House of Representatives.
And with his unconventional choice to appoint Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump almost dares establishment Republicans to go against him.
But everyone being considered for vice president was already being thoroughly vetted by Trump’s campaign. “Imagine getting a root canal and a colonoscopy at the same time,” says the person familiar with transition conversations. “There’s your control.”
By choosing potential veeps, Trump World can avoid the shock of a series of unflattering stories that could accompany a newer recruit — Noem has already been reported to have shot her dog, while Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth is getting new attention for are Christian nationalist tattoos. Well-known entities like Stefanik and Rubio are also likely to make it through Senate confirmation.
Looming over Trump’s transition is the memory of his last transition in 2016, when he fired former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as chairman of his team just days after winning the election. Trump took 10 days to announce a top Cabinet pick — with Jeff Sessions as attorney general. The president removed him from office two years later.
This time, Trump finds himself in a position unprecedented in modern times, setting up a full government for the second time after already serving as president. And allies insist the transition will be smoother.
“He didn’t have a moob like Chris Christie who led the transition team without actually thinking about who would fill some of the important spots,” said Joe Borelli, the New York City Council minority leader who co-chaired Trump’s 2016 campaign in New York. . “This Trump restart team knew they were in the catbird position and had a clear depth chart of people to consider.”
One person familiar with the application process, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said job prospects in the Trump administration have been asked to submit not only a resume and a cover letter, but also a document identifying it lists everything they have done to support Trump – whether through positive media interviews, fundraising or volunteer work.
That makes sense to Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican Party and a born-again Trump ally.
“Dozens of people got him where he is,” Cox said. “They were loyal to him, and he wants to be loyal to them. And put into practice what he was chosen to do.”
It’s not just loyalty, Cox emphasizes: “It’s much more a businessman making sure the right people are in the right place.”
It is not new to offer vice presidential candidates other administrative jobs – Biden brought in Susan Rice as a domestic policy adviser, and Trump himself chose Sessions. But the sheer number of VP candidates being picked early for top positions is unprecedented. Trump’s transition team did not return a request for comment.
Trump once led a TV show about finding the right hire for his company. He also ended up giving jobs to losing contestants on “The Apprentice,” including Omarosa Manigault.
The veepstakes-also-rans are lucky because they lose. Vance was mercilessly pilloried during his campaign. And Trump has turned on a vice president before — reportedly voicing support for the Jan. 6 rioters who chanted “Hang Mike Pence.”
Figures like Stefanik, Noem and Rubio could give up their comfortable elected roles for much less predictable positions — and some of Trump’s other job announcements prove that.
“My conclusion is that if you’re shocked or surprised,” Spicer said Wednesday morning, before the nominations for Gaetz and Kennedy, “buckle your seat belt, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”
