Nominations Sent to the Senate

Memorandums

The nominations sent to the Senate by President Donald Trump include a wide range of individuals selected for key federal government positions. These appointments span various departments and agencies, reflecting the administration’s priorities in areas such as education, trade, foreign affairs, energy, and environmental policy.

The list is large, so here’s a first attempt at some groupings while time is spent digging into the details of each nomination.

  1. Education Sector

    • Kirsten Baesler (Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education)
    • Nicholas Kent (Under Secretary of Education)
    • Kimberly Richey (Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights)
    • Kevin O’Farrell (Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education)
  2. Foreign Affairs and Ambassadorships

    • Mike Huckabee (Ambassador to Israel)
    • Charles Kushner (Ambassador to France and Monaco)
    • Warren Stephens (Ambassador to the United Kingdom)
    • Peter Hoekstra (Ambassador to Canada)
  3. Energy and Environment

    • Audrey Robertson (Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy)
    • Brian Nesvik (Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
    • Kathleen Sgamma (Director of the Bureau of Land Management)
  4. Economic Policy

    • Jason De Sena Trennert (Assistant Secretary of the Treasury)
    • David Eisner (Assistant Secretary of Energy)
    • Brian Quintenz (Chairman and Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission)
  5. National Securiy

    • Joseph Kent (Director of the National Counterterrorism Center)
    • Thomas DiNanno (Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security)
  6. Cybersecurity

    • Sean Cairncross (National Cyber Director)

Nomination Withdrawals

One notable withdrawal was Luke Pettit’s nomination for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. This withdrawal was reportedly due to a clerical error involving the spelling of his name, which required resubmission to correct the mistake.

Some nominations may attract scrutiny due to perceived conflicts of interest or lack of relevant expertise. For instance, Charles Kushner’s ambassadorship could be controversial given his familial ties to Trump. Similarly, Mike Huckabee’s appointment as Ambassador to Israel might raise questions about his political background influencing diplomatic roles.

These nominations underscore President Trump’s intent to shape federal agencies in alignment with his administration’s policy goals while also sparking potential debates over qualifications and political motivations.

Nominations Sent to the Senate:

  • Gary Andres, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  • Daniel Aronowitz, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
  • James Baehr, of Louisiana, to be General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Kirsten Baesler, of North Dakota, to be Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
  • Joseph Barloon, of Maryland, to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (Geneva Office), with the rank of Ambassador.
  • Benjamin Black, of New York, to be Chief Executive Officer of the United States International Development Finance Corporation.
  • Kevin Cabrera, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Panama.
  • Sean Cairncross, of Minnesota, to be National Cyber Director.
  • Gustav Chiarello III, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  • Tyler Clarkson, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture.
  • Jason De Sena Trennert, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
  • Thomas DiNanno, of Florida, to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.
  • Sean Donahue, of Florida, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • David Eisner, of New York, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy.
  • David Fogel, of Connecticut, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service.
  • George Glass, of Oregon, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan.
  • Jonathan Gould, of Virginia, to be Comptroller of the Currency for a term of five years.
  • Catherine Hanson, of South Carolina, to be Chief Financial Officer, Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Landon Heid, of Missouri, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
  • Peter Hoekstra, of Michigan, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Canada.
  • Allison Hooker, of Georgia, to be an Under Secretary of State (Political Affairs).
  • Mike Huckabee, of Arkansas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the State of Israel.
  • John Hurley, of California, to be Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes.
  • Scott Hutchins, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics.
  • Ronald Johnson, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Mexican States.
  • Taylor Jordan, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
  • Paul Kapur, of California, to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs.
  • David Keeling, of Kentucky, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
  • Nicholas Kent, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of Education.
  • Joseph Kent, of Washington, to be Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
  • Jessica Kramer, of Wisconsin, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Charles Kushner, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the French Republic, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the - United States of America to the Principality of Monaco.
  • Henry Mack III, of Florida, to be an Assistant Secretary of Labor.
  • Ned Mamula, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the United States Geological Survey.
  • Jennifer Mascott, of Maryland, to be General Counsel, Department of Education.
  • Jonathan McKernan, of Tennessee, to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection for a term of five years.
  • Jonathan Morrison, of California, to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • Brian Morrissey, Jr., of Virginia, to be General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury.
  • Brian Nesvik, of Wyoming, to be Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Kevin O’Farrell, of Florida, to be Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, Department of Education.
  • Caleb Orr, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Economic and Business Affairs).
  • Wayne Palmer, of Virginia, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health.
  • Luke Pettit, of the District of Columbia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
  • Tina Pierce, of Idaho, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy.
  • Chris Pratt, of Utah, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Political-Military Affairs).
  • Brian Quintenz, of Ohio, to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
  • Brian Quintenz, of Ohio, to be a Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for a term expiring April 13, 2029.
  • David Rader, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
  • Joel Rayburn, of Oklahoma, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs).
  • Kimberly Richey, of Texas, to be Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Department of Education.
  • Mary Riley, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs, Department of Education.
  • Audrey Robertson, of Colorado, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).
  • Sarah Rogers, of New York, to be Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy.
  • Reed Rubinstein, of Maryland, to be Legal Adviser of the Department of State.
  • Kathleen Sgamma, of Colorado, to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
  • Warren Stephens, of Arkansas, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
  • Michael Stuart, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Aaron Szabo, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Richard Topping, of Ohio, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
  • Craig Trainor, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
  • Olivia Trusty, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 30, 2025.
  • Olivia Trusty, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Federal Communications Commission for a term of five years from July 1, 2025. (Reappointment)
  • Matthew Whitaker, of Iowa, to be United States Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

Withdrawal Sent To The Senate:

  • Luke Petit, of Washington, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.