In a series of bold moves, President Donald Trump has tapped various controversial figures and loyal supporters for key cabinet positions, setting the stage for a potentially transformative second term. Not only are key cabinet positions being filled, but also new Tsar’s and “departments,” are being implemented into the US Government. Among these appointments, Trump has created a new Department of Government Efficiency, which is yet to be confirmed by Congress, to be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aimed at streamlining government operations and reducing regulations.
In a sweeping overhaul of the federal government, President Donald Trump’s new administration has made significant changes to the cabinet and introduced new departments, reflecting his campaign promises to reshape Washington.
As of March 12, 2025, most of Trump’s cabinet nominees have been confirmed by the Senate, including:
Vice President: JD Vance
Secretary of State: Marco Rubio
Secretary of the Treasury: Scott Bessent
Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth
Attorney General: Pam Bondi
Secretary of the Interior: Doug Burgum
Secretary of Agriculture: Brooke Rollins
Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick
Secretary of Labor: Vince Micone (Acting)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Scott Turner
Secretary of Transportation: Sean Duffy
Secretary of Energy: Chris Wright
Secretary of Education: Linda McMahon
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Doug Collins
Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator: Lee Zeldin
Department of Government Efficiency: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Mehmet Oz
Federal Communications Commission Chair: Brendan Carr
Solicitor General: Dean John Sauer
However, as of March 12, 2025, the following cabinet members have not yet been confirmed:
- Elise Stefanik – Nominated for Ambassador to the United Nations
- Her confirmation is delayed due to her current responsibilities in the House of Representatives.
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer – Nominated for Secretary of Labor
- She faced challenging questions during her confirmation hearing, particularly regarding her past support for pro-union legislation.
These appointments represent a mix of political allies, media personalities, and controversial figures. For instance, Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and military veteran, now is the head of the Pentagon. Additionally, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment as the Secretary of Health and Human Services concerns many Americans due to his controversial views on public health issues.
In addition to these new cabinet appointments, President Trump has also introduced a series of new departments and Tsar positions, the most controversial department being the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The Department of Government Efficiency-led by billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy-aims to streamline government operations, reduce the size of the executive branch organizations, increase efficiency, and reduce spending from our budget to combat the federal debt crisis. President Trump created DOGE via executive order on his first day in office. The creation of this department aligns with Trump’s campaign promise to cut government waste and Musk’s promise to cut an unlikely two trillion from the federal budget. However, DOGE has a mere shelf life of 18 months-according to the executive order signed by President Trump-to carry out its ambitious plans to reduce federal spending. Currently, the US Federal Government has a revenue of about $4.9 trillion, however, we spend over $6.75 trillion yearly, over $4 trillion of that in mandatory spending that legally cannot be cut. To combat this, DOGE has been credited for implementing new policies to measure the efficiency of executive branch level department employees in the US Government to determine layoffs among other things to reduce government expenditure and hopefully increase efficiency.
As part of his presidential platform, President Trump has promised to reduce concerns many Americans have raised regarding the safety and security of the US border and illegal immigration. In response, President Trump has appointed Tom Homan, a former police officer and acting director of ICE, as Border Tsar; a new position overseeing immigration enforcement. This appointment underscores Trump’s continued focus on border security and immigration control.
With all of these new changes and additions to the Federal Government, many will be impacted on both local and national levels. Many locals have raised concerns on the new administration’s platform and many have shown their undying support for the administration.
Woodland Senior, Julia Dommel shares her concerns regarding the new administration, stating,
“ The amount of government overreach is kind of scary and it makes me scared about the future of America and its continuing democracy.”
On the other hand, the vast majority of the community disagrees with these concerns. Prior to the 2024 Presidential elections, a select group of Prospect Citizens would gather in front of the town hall to display their pride and support for President Trump. According to NBC News, approximately 71.7 percent of Prospect citizens and 51.7% of Beacon Falls citizens who voted in the previous election voted for President Trump, displaying the community’s strong support for the newly elected President.
Regardless of which side you stand on, only time will tell what the newly elected and appointed Executive Cabinet will be able to accomplish in the coming years.
