Donald Trump will have some catch-up to do in filling his Cabinet.
In the throes of a tight campaign, he didn’t engage in formal conversations about Cabinet posts. But that didn’t stop him from spitballing potential contenders during his frequent plane rides to campaign events, or when he is impressed by one of his allies on television. So the starting point for him will be those conversations.
“He would be great at this,” or “She would be great at that,” Trump has said on recent occasions while watching surrogates on television, according to a person with knowledge of his comments who was granted anonymity to speak freely. And like with his monthslong search for a running mate, the TV circuit became an important venue for the aggressive jockeying underway by allies eager to secure a Cabinet job.
Some candidates for the Cabinet have even hired their own public relations teams.
Trump’s first Cabinet was confirmed at a slow pace, due to Democrats slow-walking the process, only to see high turnover in those top jobs during his four years in office.
Despite all the chatter, the Trump campaign said during the campaign that Trump isn’t touching the issue yet.
“There have been no discussions about who will serve in a second Trump administration,” his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said this fall. “President Trump is focused on winning the election and when he does, he will then choose the best people to help him make America great again.”
Here’s our guide on the leading contenders for Trump’s top jobs.