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    • Trump's new administration could include this cast
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    Trump's new administration could include this cast

    Kathleen William Posted on

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    WASHINGTON – The election is over. Now comes the real work.

    President-elect Donald Trump's victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in Tuesday's election marked the end of a long, divisive campaign that will see the Republican win the White House just four years after voters barred him from office will return.

    With the election campaign behind him, Trump can now turn his attention to assembling a cabinet and staff to implement his agenda.

    A familiar cast of characters — some of whom had jobs in his first term — are ready to serve. Other − like the many officials in his first term who later questioned his suitability for the office − not so much.

    Here you can see who is there and who is not.

    The new insiders:

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    Kennedy came from one of the country's most prominent Democratic families and ran for president as an independent after failing to gain traction in the Democratic primary. When that didn't work, the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy and son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy interrupted his campaign and supported Trump. Kennedy, an anti-vaxxer without a medical degree, is expected to take a prominent position in the new administration. Trump told his supporters at a rally at Madison Square Garden last month that he would let Kennedy “go wild on health care.”

    Elon Musk

    The billionaire businessman and investor is an ardent Trump supporter who donated more than $118 million to a Trump-backed political action committee and used his social media platform X to spread false and misleading claims of election fraud. Trump returned the favor by praising the tech titan at his rallies and during his victory speech early Wednesday morning in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump has announced that he will set up a government efficiency commission headed by Musk.

    More: Donald Trump is redefining American politics with his breathtaking comeback

    Stephen Miller

    Miller, known for his anti-immigrant views, served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first term and is seen as a co-creator of Trump's immigration policies, which included separating migrant children from their families and banning travel from predominantly Muslim countries. Trump has promised to carry out mass deportations in his second term. Miller, who has championed Trump 2.0, is expected to play a role.

    Vivek Ramaswamy

    Ramaswamy, a brash biotech entrepreneur who has never held public office, sought the GOP nomination for president but endorsed Trump after he suspended his campaign in January. Ramaswamy eagerly embraced his role as a Trump surrogate, frequently appearing on cable news shows to defend Trump against his critics. Trump has hinted that Ramaswamy could play a role in his administration, suggesting he could oversee key government initiatives.

    More: How Kamala Harris Lost the Election: The Fatal Flaws of a Doomed Election Bid

    Michael Flynn

    Flynn, a retired Army lieutenant general, was an early supporter of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign and served as Trump's national security adviser during his first term. Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials in late 2016. Trump pardoned Flynn in the final weeks of his first term. Flynn, one of the most vocal cadres of Trump allies calling for prosecution and even violence against Trump's political enemies, spent the past year crisscrossing the country recruiting an army of volunteers to help Implementing Trump's vow of retaliation against the “enemy within.”

    More: Trump promises to take action against his enemies if elected. Meet two enforcers willing to carry this out

    Who's outside?

    Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump

    The president-elect's eldest daughter and son-in-law were among his closest advisers during his first term but stepped away from politics after his defeat in 2020. When Trump launched his third bid for the White House nearly two years ago, Ivanka Trump said she and her husband planned to prioritize their children and family life. Neither played a role in his re-election campaign, although they appeared on stage with him at his victory party in West Palm Beach, Florida, early Wednesday morning.

    Nikki Haley

    The former South Carolina governor served as UN ambassador during the first two years of Trump's first term in office, but criticized his character when he challenged him for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year. “If you make fun of a combat veteran’s service, you don’t deserve to have a driver’s license, let alone be president of the United States,” Haley said after Trump joked about her husband’s military deployment. The last of Trump's Republican rivals to leave office Haley waited two months before endorsing Trump but eventually released her delegates so they could support him at the Republican National Convention. Haley reportedly offered to run for Trump and even provided a list of dates when she would be available. The campaign's answer: No, thank you.

    Mike Pence

    Pence was vice president and a loyal soldier for most of Trump's first term. He broke with Trump after the president pressured him to refuse to certify Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election. Pence was at the Capitol on January 6, 2021 and had to be taken to a secure location after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the building. When Trump was informed that Pence was in danger, he responded, “So what?” according to special prosecutor Jack Smith. Pence announced earlier this year that he would not support Trump for re-election.

    More: How Trump won the White House (again): These key issues drove the election victory

    Chris Christie

    The former New Jersey governor was a key adviser and surrogate to Trump during his 2016 campaign. During Trump's first term, he was considered for various positions, including attorney general, a position that instead went to Jeff Sessions, initially overseeing Trump's transition team. But Christie became one of Trump's most vocal critics after he refused to accept his defeat in the 2020 election. In January, Christie — who was running for the GOP nomination — released a video in which he said, “I made a mistake” when I supported Trump eight years ago and warned that Trump will “sell the soul of this country.” .

    John Kelly, Mark Milley et al

    Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general who was Trump's longest-serving chief of staff, and Milley, a retired Army general who was chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, are among more than a dozen former Trump aides who have publicly denounced their former boss. Milley warned in a book by author Bob Woodward that Trump was “to the core fascist,” and Kelly said in an interview with The New York Times that he believed Trump met the definition of a fascist. A group of “lifelong Republicans” who were Trump administration staffers signed a letter last month adding their voices to criticism of their former boss. Don't expect any of them to be invited to the White House anytime soon.

    Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.

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    Kathleen William
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