Following his victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, President-elect Donald Trump announced several high-profile nominations for his upcoming administration on Wednesday. Among the key appointments, Trump named Congressman Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, Florida Senator Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, and former Congresswoman and Lieutenant Colonel Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI).
“It is my great honor to nominate Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida as the Attorney General of the United States,” Trump stated. “Matt is a highly skilled and determined attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has made a name for himself in Congress by advocating for much-needed reforms within the Department of Justice. Few issues are more critical to our nation than ending the partisan weaponization of our justice system. Matt will put an end to government overreach, secure our borders, dismantle criminal organizations, and restore Americans’ faith and trust in the Justice Department,” Trump added.
In another significant appointment, Trump announced Senator Marco Rubio as his pick for Secretary of State. “It is my great honor to nominate Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as the United States Secretary of State,” Trump said. He praised Rubio as “a highly respected leader and a powerful advocate for freedom,” emphasizing his confidence that Rubio would be a steadfast supporter of the nation’s allies and a formidable opponent to its adversaries. “Together, we will make America, and the world, safe and great again,” Trump declared.
Rubio expressed his gratitude for the nomination, stating, “Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me. As Secretary of State, I will work every day to advance his foreign policy agenda, delivering peace through strength and prioritizing the interests of America and its people above all.”
Trump also named Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic Congresswoman and current Lieutenant Colonel, as the Director of National Intelligence. “I am thrilled to announce that Tulsi Gabbard will serve as the Director of National Intelligence,” Trump said. “For over 20 years, she has dedicated herself to defending our country and protecting American freedoms. A former presidential candidate with bipartisan support, she is now a proud Republican. I know Tulsi will bring her unwavering spirit to our intelligence community, safeguarding our constitutional rights and securing peace through strength,” Trump affirmed.
Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, with 295 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’s 226, marks his return to the White House, making him only the second president in U.S. history to serve two non-consecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. Trump’s first term ran from 2016 to 2020.