Donald Trump names next Cabinet secretaries including homeland security, environment chiefs and US envoy to China.
US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked the secretaries of Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency and US ambassador to China.
This happens as Trump continues to build his Cabinet secretaries as he prepares to take office on January 20, replacing outgoing President Barack Obama.
His top environmental official is a fossil fuel industry defender, while another retired general would be the next homeland security chief and Iowa’s governor would be the US ambassador to China.
In his announcement, Trump said 48-year-old Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt would be nominated to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
As part of his background, Pruitt sued the EPA in a bid to undo a key regulation under Obama’s administration that would curb greenhouse gas emissions blamed for climate change, mainly from coal-fired power plants.
On the other hand, Trump chose the 66-year-old and retired Marine Corps General John Kelly as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The said department is responsible for controlling immigration. Kelly is the third retired general named by Trump to a senior administration post. In 2015, Kelly told Congress that a lack of security on the US-Mexican border posed a threat to the United States.
Added on the list is the statement of the transition team of Trump saying Republican Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, 70-year-old, was picked as US ambassador to China. Branstad has boasted of close ties to Beijing’s leaders.
Trump’s transition officials said Linda McMahon, 68, former CEO of professional wrestling company WWE and wife of wrestling kingpin Vince McMahon, was Trump’s choice to head the Small Business Administration.
The said high posts require US Senate confirmation.
Selecting Pruitt was announced by the newly elected president despite a softer tone Trump has struck on environmental regulation since his Nov. 8 election.
To recall, he has stepped back from casting climate change as a hoax, signaled he might be willing to allow the United States to continue participating in the Paris climate change deal which aimed at lowering world carbon emissions, and met with former Vice President Al Gore, a leading environmental voice.