Over the past two weeks, President-elect Donald Trump has been rolling out a series of Cabinet nominations and administration appointments, placing longtime allies and newfound confederates in positions of influence and power. Some of these nominations and appointments have proven to be controversial, such as former congressman Matt Gaetz’s nomination as U.S. Attorney General or Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). But the controversy isn’t slowing Trump down. Below are some of his latest picks for Cabinet positions and roles in his second administration.

Howard Lutnick

Many of Trump’s Cabinet picks so far are not from among the ranks of Washington, D.C. elites but are businessmen or military veterans with years of experience in their chosen fields. Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick is no different. Trump announced this week that Lutnick would be asked to serve as Commerce secretary, citing the businessman and philanthropist’s record as “a dynamic force on Wall Street for more than 30 years.”

“He will lead our Tarriff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative,” Trump said in announcing Lutnick’s nomination. He continued, “In his role as Co-Chair of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen.”

Lutnick’s commercial career began in 1983, when he graduated from Haverford College and joined the Cantor Fitzgerald financial services firm. He formed a friendship with founder Bernard Cantor and was named president and CEO of the organization in 1991. Many of Lutnick’s employees and colleagues, including his brother, died in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, where Cantor Fitzgerald’s offices were located. Since then, Lutnick has donated nearly $300 million to families of those who died in the attack and victims of terrorist attacks and natural disasters around the globe.

In both 2019 and 2024, Lutnick hosted major fundraisers for the Trump campaign, reportedly raising millions of dollars at each event. Lutnick spoke at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally last month and was also, as Trump noted in his announcement, appointed a co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team. He is a proponent of the use of trade tariffs, which has featured as a key part of Trump’s plans to both revitalize the U.S. economy and ensure America is not mistreated by foreign nations.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

One of Trump’s most controversial personnel picks heading into his second term has been that of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, the president-elect chose to bolster Kennedy’s unconventional views on health and medicine by appointing Dr. Mehmet Oz as the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “America is facing a Healthcare Crisis, and there may be no Physician more qualified and capable than Dr. Oz to Make America Healthy Again,” Trump wrote in announcing Oz’s appointment to the post. He continued, “Dr. Oz will work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.”

“Our broken Healthcare System harms everyday Americans, and crushes our Country’s budget,” Trump stated. “Dr. Oz will be a leader in incentivizing Disease Prevention, so we get the best results in the World for every dollar we spend on Healthcare in our Great Country,” the president-elect continued. He added that Oz “will also cut waste and fraud within our Country’s most expensive Government Agency, which is a third of our Nation’s healthcare spend, and a quarter of our entire National Budget.”

A cardiothoracic surgeon with degrees from Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, Oz rose to prominence as a television personality, making frequent guest appearances on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” before launching his own program, “The Dr. Oz Show,” in 2009. Like Kennedy, Oz has been criticized at times for his unconventional positions on health and medicine, including promoting techniques and treatments which critics labeled pseudoscience or alternative medicine. In 2016, Trump appeared as a guest on Oz’s show, when the physician assessed the presidential candidate’s medical records, health, and fitness.

Oz was appointed to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition in 2018 and, in 2022, ran for the U.S. Senate as a Republican representing Pennsylvania. In the Republican primary, Oz narrowly bested Dave McCormick, who was elected to the U.S. Senate this month, but lost to incumbent Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in the midterm election. Since 2022, Oz has been an outspoken opponent of abortion, supporting the overturning of Roe v. Wade and declaring that human life begins at conception.

Linda McMahon

After weeks of speculation that he may just axe the Department of Education (DOE) altogether, Trump finally appointed longtime ally and former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) executive Linda McMahon to serve as Education Secretary. “As secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand ‘Choice’ to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families,” Trump declared. He noted that McMahon has served on the board of trustees of Connecticut’s Sacred Heart University for over 16 years and served nearly two years on the Connecticut Board of Education before serving alongside Lutnick as a co-chair of the Trump-Vance transition team.

“Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World,” Trump said. However, it appears that McMahon is slated to preside over the dismantling of the DOE. Trump added, “We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.”

In comments to The Washington Stand, Meg Kilgannon, senior fellow for Education Studies at Family Research Council, said, “I am very excited about Linda McMahon for Education Secretary. She is clearly a valued member of Team Trump and has a warm relationship with the president-elect.” Kilgannon continued, “Having such a longstanding friend at the Department of Education tells me that President Trump intends to make good on his campaign promises to rid our schools of critical race theory and gender nonsense and working to return education funding to the states, where it belongs.” She added, “It’s going to take creative thinking and hard work to manage the Department and move it toward closure, and Linda McMahon has a track record of both.”

McMahon initially intended to become a teacher, studying to teach French in the 1960s. In 1980, she and her husband Vince founded Titan Sports, which eventually became WWE. She became president of the company in 1993 and CEO in 1997, overseeing a massive expansion and increased popularity. McMahon also oversaw much of the company’s charitable work, including making donations to the Donald J. Trump Foundation and to Sacred Heart University as well as launching WWE’s Get R.E.A.L. program to encourage reading and education among young fans.

In 2009, McMahon was appointed to the Connecticut Board of Education and, shortly afterward, ran for the U.S. Senate as a Republican in 2010 and 2012. Although she was never elected, McMahon became heavily involved in GOP politics, especially as a fundraiser. During his first term as president, Trump appointed McMahon as the administrator of the Small Business Administration. She later chaired the America First Action political action committee (PAC) and served as a board member of the America First Policy Institute.

Matthew Whitaker

Among the appointments that Trump has announced are various ambassadorships. While many go overlooked, some play crucial roles in dealing with international organizations. Trump nominated former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to serve as his ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended,” Trump said in announcing the nomination. He continued, “Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability — He will put AMERICA FIRST. I have full confidence in Matt’s abilities to represent the United States with Strength, Integrity, and unwavering Dedication.”

In 2004, Whitaker was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, at the suggestion of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), where he focused on prosecuting drug crimes and child pornography, issuing a record 500 indictments within his first year in office. During Trump’s first term as president, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Whitaker as his Department of Justice (DOJ) chief of staff. When Trump asked Sessions to resign in 2018, Whitaker took his place as acting Attorney General, until William Barr was appointed to the role later that year. Whitaker is widely considered a strong Trump ally.