With the support of a Republican majority in the Senate and experience from his first term, Trump 2.0 can be expected to have good opportunities to assemble a loyal team and drive through his policy without any obstacles.
Trump had several chiefs of staff in the previous term. He got tired of them and the ministers came and went. But that will not be the pattern now, predicts Erik Åsard.
Musk to streamline
According to what Trump himself has said, entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk will be given a role that involves streamlining the state apparatus. He has been asked to conduct a thorough review of the state administration to "drastically reduce waste" and has accepted the task. The exact scope of his role in Trump's new government has not been revealed, writes AFP.
Another obvious supporter in the new team is Robert F Kennedy junior, who has previously been criticized for spreading conspiracy theories about vaccines and claiming that there are links between vaccines and autism.
Kennedy dropped out of the presidential race a few months ago and instead chose to support the Trump campaign. Since then, he has been promised a "major role" in the health sector. During a campaign meeting in Arizona, Trump said that Kennedy will be able to "do whatever he wants" and will work on "health and women's health".
Clear-out
The post of Attorney General will be particularly important for Trump as he forms his new government, as this person will be able to help Trump get rid of the federal lawsuits against him, and also prosecute his enemies.
The Justice Department is a major enemy for Trump and, according to him, the reason why he has been wrongly prosecuted. Trump will be very keen to get a compliant Justice Department. There will be a clear-out there, says Erik Åsard.
Trump has so far kept quiet about who else will join his new team, although there is some speculation in the media. Nor has he said what role his family will play in the government that takes office in the White House on January 20 next year.
Richard Grenell, former US ambassador to Germany, is mentioned as one of the names for the post of national security adviser or foreign minister. He is a senior adviser to the "Protecting America Initiative", a non-profit organization that focuses on countering the Chinese government's influence.
Jeff Clark, Trump's former deputy attorney general, is considered a candidate for a high position within the Justice Department. Clark is best known for driving a campaign to try to get the Justice Department to block the transfer of power after Trump's loss in the 2020 election. He was prosecuted, along with Trump, in August last year.
Senator Tom Cotton is one of the names mentioned for the role of defense minister. He is a former infantry officer in the army and war veteran from Iraq and Afghanistan. Cotton was an early supporter of Trump and served as an adviser during the first term.
Senior campaign adviser Susie Wiles, who many see as the architect behind Trump's comeback, could become the White House chief of staff.
Sources: AFP and Politico
