Leaked Trump Cabinet Shortlist: Palin, Bondi, Brewer, Huckabee, Christie, Sessions, Giuliani, Carson, Others

Buzzfeed reports:

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has put together a who’s who shortlist of Trump surrogates and advisers to take top positions in his administration next year, ranging from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for attorney general to 39-year-old Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr. to be the secretary of defense.

The list of 41 names, obtained by BuzzFeed News, covers 13 departments, the attorney general, Office of Management and Budget, White House chief of staff, and White House counsel.

A source familiar with the list stressed it was not final, and it is unclear whether transition officials have narrowed it down or added more potential candidates for consideration by Trump.

In a handful of instances there is only one candidate listed — Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is the only name listed for chief of staff, EEOC Commissioner Victoria Lipnic is listed for secretary of labor, Rep. Jeff Miller as veterans affairs administrator, Sen. Jeff Sessions as director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Donald McGahn, who has served as counsel to Trump’s campaign, to be White House counsel.

As you can see below, some names appear multiple times as the Trump team tries to find a way to pay back allies.



Attorney General:
Gov. Chris Christie
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Sen. Jeff Sessions
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Secretary of Commerce:
Christie
Former Nucor CEO Dan DiMicco
Businessman Lew Eisenberg
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee
Sen. David Purdue
Former Sen. Jim Talent

Agriculture Secretary:
Gov. Sam Brownback
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives CEO Chuck Conner
Gov. Dave Heineman
Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue

Secretary of Education:
Ben Carson
Hoover Institution fellow William Evers

Secretary of Energy:
Venture Capitalist Robert Grady
Businessman Harold Hamm

Secretary of Health and Human Services:
Former New Jersey state Sen. Rich Bagger
Ben Carson
Newt Gingrich
Gov. Rick Scott

Secretary of Homeland Security:
Christie
Sheriff David Clarke

Secretary of the Interior:
Gov. Jan Brewer
Gov. Mary Fallin
Grady
Hamm
Oil Executive Forrest Lucas
Rep. Cynthia Lummis
Former Gov. Sarah Palin

Secretary of Defense:
Former Gen. Mike Flynn
Stephen Hadley
Rep. Duncan Hunter Jr.
Sessions
Former Sen. Jim Talent

Secretary of State:
John Bolton
Sen. Bob Corker
Gingrich

Treasury Secretary:
Rep. Jeb Hensarling
Businessman Carl Icahn
Banker Steven Mnuchin

Chief of Staff:
Reince Priebus

Director of Office of Management and Budget:
Sessions

Secretary of Labor:
EEOC Commissioner Victoria Lipnic

Veterans Affairs:
Rep. Jeff Miller

White House Counsel:
Donald McGahn