There are 16 members of the President’s cabinet. The Vice President counts as one and the rest are Senate confirmed to run the 15 federal departments under the White House administration.
Of the 15 who require Senate confirmation only seven have been confirmed. Meaning that several weeks into Trump’s Presidency he’s forced to operate with less than half of his cabinet leadership filled.
The following is a comprehensive list of all cabinet nominees with basic data and who has been confirmed and who has not.
Cabinet nominees
U.S. Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Rex Tillerson
Position: Secretary of State
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 12, 2016
Hearing:
January 11, 2017
Committee:
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Reported:
January 23, 2017
11-10
Confirmed:
February 1, 2017
Vote:
56-43
On December 12, 2016, President Donald Trump announced that he was selecting Rex Tillerson as his nominee for secretary of state[3]
Tillerson is the former chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil. In 2011, Tillerson brokered an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to gain access to arctic resources and authorized OAO Rosneft, Russia’s state oil company, to invest in Exxon’s global concessions. In 2014, U.S. sanctions against Russia halted the deal.[4] In 2012, Putin awarded Tillerson Russia’s Order of Friendship.[4]
Tillerson serves on the executive committee of the American Petroleum Institute. He is a trustee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.[5] Tillerson is the vice-chairman of the Ford’s Theatre Society. In the past, he has served as the president of the Boy Scouts of America and director of United Negro College Fund.[6]
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a confirmation hearing for Tillerson on January 11, 2017.[7]On January 23, 2017, the committee approved of Tillerson’s nomination by a vote of 11-10. All Republican committee members gave Tillerson a favorable vote, while all Democrats opposed him.[8]
Tillerson was confirmed by the Senate on February 1, 2017, by a vote of 56 to 43. The vote fell mostly along party lines with all Republican senators voting in favor of Tillerson’s nomination. Three Democrats—Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), and Mark Warner (Va.)—and Independent Angus King (Maine) voted to confirm Tillerson. Delaware Sen. Chris Coons (D) did not vote.[9][10]
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
Steve Mnuchin
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Steve Mnuchin
Position: Secretary of the Treasury
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
November 29, 2016
Hearing:
January 19, 2017
Committee:
Senate Finance Committee
Reported:
February 1, 2017 (14-0)
Confirmed:
Vote:
On November 29, 2016, President Donald Trump announced that he was selecting Steve Mnuchin as his nominee for Secretary of the Treasury.[11] Mnuchin is a finance executive who has worked for companies such as Goldman Sachs and Soros Fund Management.[12]
After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Yale University, Mnuchin began working for the investment firm Goldman Sachs in 1985. Mnuchin spent 17 years with the firm, eventually serving as chief information officer. When Mnuchin left Goldman Sachs, he briefly worked with Soros Fund Management as part of the fixed income, currency, and commodities division. He also served as CEO of IMB Holdco.[12]Mnuchin then began a series of investments in media, real estate, and banking through his hedg fund Dune Capital Management, which he co-founded and for which he served as the co-executive officer. He is also the sole founder of Dune Real Estate Partners. Some of his notable investments include OneWest Bank Group (formerly IndyMac) which was sold to the CIT Group in 2015. Mnuchin has financially backed several films. He has been involved in producing The Accountant, Sully, American Sniper, and others.[12][13][14]
Mnuchin became involved with Trump during the 2016 presidential election when Mnuchin served as the campaign’s finance chair beginning in May 2016. He was also a member of Donald Trump’s presidential transition team, a group of advisors tasked with recommending presidential appointments for the incoming administration. The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Mnuchin on January 19. A confirmation vote was scheduled for January 30, however, Senators Sherrod Brown and Ron Wyden refused to participate in the vote, delaying the committee. Lawmakers responded by temporarily halting a rule requiring at least one Democrat to be present for the votes, and approved Mnuchin in a vote of 14-0. On February 10, the Senate voted to end a Democratic filibuster over his nomination. The Senate is scheduled to hold the final vote on his appointment on February 13.[15][16][17][18][19]
U.S. Secretary of Defense
James Mattis
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: James Mattis
Position: Secretary of Defense
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 1, 2016
Hearing:
January 12, 2017
Committee:
Senate Armed Services Committee
Reported:
January 18, 2017, (26-1)
Confirmed:
January 20, 2017
Vote:
98-1
On December 1, 2016, President Donald Trump announced that he was selecting General James Mattis as his nominee for secretary of defense.[20]
Mattis is a retired Marine Corps four-star general. He entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969. In 1972, he graduated from Central Washington University and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the western Pacific with the Third Marine Division.[21] In 2007, Mattis was promoted to the rank of four-star general and became the head of the U.S. Joint Forces Command. In 2010, he replaced General David Petraeus as head of the U.S. Central Command where he focused on combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mattis retired in 2013. After retirement, Mattis became a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution specializing in military history and contemporary conflict policy.[22][23][21][24]
The Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for Mattis on January 12, 2017.[25] The Senate confirmed Mattis as secretary of defense by a vote of 98-1 on January 20, 2017.[26]
U.S. Attorney General
Jeff Sessions
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Jeff Sessions
Position: U.S. Attorney General
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
November 18, 2016
Hearing:
January 10-11, 2017
Committee:
Judiciary Committee
Reported:
February 1, 2017
11-9
Confirmed:
February 8, 2017
Vote:
52-47
The Trump transition team announced on November 18, 2016, that Donald Trump intended to nominate U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to serve as attorney general. Sessions was an early supporter of Trump’s candidacy. First elected to the Senate in 1996, he served as the attorney general of Alabama from 1994 to 1996 and held a seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. President Ronald Reagan nominated him for a federal judgeship, but the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a Republican majority, blocked Sessions’ nomination 10-8 over allegations that he made racial remarks toward a colleague while serving as a U.S. attorney.[27]
Initial reactions to Sessions’ planned nomination from Republican lawmakers and supporters of Trump were positive. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said, “Senator Sessions is a respected member and former Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee who has worked across the aisle on major legislation. He knows the Justice Department as a former U.S. attorney, which would serve him very well in this position.”[28] Democrats were more cautious. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement, “Senator Sessions has served on the Senate Judiciary Committee for many years so he’s well aware of the thorough vetting he’s about to receive. … While Senator Sessions and I differ on a great many issues, I am committed to a full and fair process.”[29]
Nearly a month after his hearing, Sessions was confirmed on February 8, 2017, by a vote of 52 to 47. Support and opposition ran along party lines with the exception of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who backed Sessions’ nomination. As a sitting senator, Sessions voted present.[30]
U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Ryan Zinke
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Ryan Zinke
Position: Secretary of the Interior
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 13, 2016
Hearing:
January 17, 2017
Committee:
Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Reported:
January 31, 2017
16-6
Confirmed:
Vote:
Ryan Zinke was selected by President Donald Trump as his choice for Secretary of the Interior on December 13, 2016. He is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Montana‘s At-Large Congressional District. He was first elected to the House in 2014.
Zinke testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on January 17, 2017. In his opening statement, Zinke described his three broad goals if he is confirmed: “The first is to restore trust by working with rather than against local communities and states. I fully recognize that there is distrust, anger, and even hatred against some federal management policies. Being a listening advocate rather than a deaf adversary is a good start. Second, is to prioritize the estimated 12.5 billion dollars in backlog of maintenance and repair in our National Parks. The President elect is committed to a jobs and infrastructure bill, and I am going to need your help in making sure that bill includes shoring up our Nation’s treasures. And third, to ensure the professionals on the front line, our rangers and field managers, have the right tools, right resources, and flexibility to make the right decisions that give a voice to the people they serve.”
Asked by Sen. Bernie Sanders whether he thought climate change was a hoax, Zinke said, “Climate is changing. Man is an influence. I think where there’s debate on it is what that influence is and what can we do about. As the [head of] the Department of the Interior, I will inherit, if confirmed, the USGS (United States Geological Survey). We have great scientists there. I’m not a climate scientist (sic) expert, but I can tell you I’m going to become a lot more familiar with it. And it will be based on objective science.”
When asked by Sen. Maria Cantwell about his stance on transferring ownership of federal land to state governments, Zinke stated, “I am absolutely against transfer or sale of public land.”
U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Wilbur Ross
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Wilbur Ross
Position: Secretary of Commerce
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
November 30, 2016
Hearing:
January 18, 2017
Committee:
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Reported:
January 24, 2017 (Voice vote)
Confirmed:
Vote:
Wilbur Ross was chosen by President Donald Trump as his choice for U.S. Secretary of Commerce on November 30, 2016.[31] According to Politico, sources said that Ross was expected to “be the most influential Commerce secretary in decades and will lead the effort to change the trade agenda to meet Trump’s vision.”[32][33]
During an interview on CNBC on November 30, 2016, Ross criticized multinational trade deals. He said, “The problem with regional trade agreements is you get picked apart by the first country. Then you negotiate with the second you get picked apart. And you go with the third one. You get picked apart again. What has to be put into perspective, we are the big market. We are the world’s biggest importer. We need to treat the other countries as good suppliers. Not as determining the whole show.”. In August 2016, Ross criticized U.S. trade policies, a cornerstone of Trump’s candidacy. He said, “Free trade is like free lunch, there is no free lunch. Somebody wins and somebody loses and unfortunately we’ve been losing with these stupid agreements that we’ve made.”[34][35]
The Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a confirmation hearing for Ross on January 18, 2017. The committee approved Ross on January 24, 2017 via voice vote.[36][37]
U.S. Secretary of Labor
Andrew Puzder
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Andrew Puzder
Position: U.S. Secretary of Labor
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 8, 2016
Hearing:
Committee:
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Reported:
Confirmed:
Vote:
On December 8, 2016, Donald Trump announced that he was selecting Andrew Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants, which owns fast-food chains like Hardee’s and Green Burrito, as his nominee for secretary of Labor.[38] Puzder served as a trustee for a joint fundraising committee for Trump’s presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee. At the 2016 Republican National Convention, he was on the Platform Committee as a delegate from California and served as the co-chair of the subcommittee on “Restoring the American Dream,” which focused on economic, labor, and tax issues. In 2010, he co-authored a book called Job Creation: How it Really Works and Why Government Doesn’t Understand It, in which he argued, “Private enterprise, unencumbered by excessive government intervention, will create jobs.”[39]
Puzder’s confirmation hearing was initially scheduled for January 17, 2017. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions delayed Puzder’s hearing, holding Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos‘s hearing on that day instead.[40] “Because of the complicated Senate calendar in January, the hearing may not be until February,” a congressional aide said.[41]
On January 31, 2017, Puzder’s confirmation hearing was delayed for a fourth time because Puzder’s financial disclosures and other necessary paperwork had not yet been submitted to the Senate.[42]
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Tom Price
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Tom Price
Position: Secretary of Health and Human Services
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
November 28, 2016
Hearing:
January 18, 2017
Committee:
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
Reported:
February 1, 2017 (14-0)
Confirmed:
February 10, 2017
Vote:
52-47
On November 28, 2016, the Trump transition team announced that President Donald Trump intended to nominate Tom Price for secretary of health and human services.
Price, an orthopedic surgeon and six-term member of Congress, has been an outspoken critic of Obamacare and began offering alternatives to the law as early as 2009, when Obamacare was first being debated in Congress. Last June, at an American Enterprise Institute event, Price said, “They believe the government ought to be in control of health care. We believe that patients and doctors should be in control of health care.”[43]
Price’s appointment underscored the likelihood of the full-repeal and replacement of President Obama’s signature healthcare law. Trump made the repeal and replacement of Obamacare a key part of his campaign platform. After the election, however, he suggested that he may propose keeping some aspects of the law such as the provision that requires insurers to sell coverage to people with preexisting conditions and another provision that lets younger people remain under their parents’ insurance plans through their mid-20s.[44]
Price appeared before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for an initial hearing on January 18, 2017. On January 24, 2017, Price had a second hearing in front of the Senate Committee on Finance. On January 31, 2017, Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee boycotted the meeting to vote on Price’s nomination. On February 1, 2017, Democrats again boycotted the committee’s meeting. In a letter to committee chair Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the committee’s Democrats said, “We have significant concerns that both Mr. Mnuchin and Congressman Price gave inaccurate and misleading testimony and responses to questions to the Committee.” Republicans then suspended the committee’s rule that requires a member of the minority party be present for a vote and voted 14-0 to send Price’s nomination to the Senate for a full vote.[45][46] On February 10, 2017, Price was confirmed by the Senate in a 52-47 vote that fell along party lines. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) did not vote.[47]
U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Ben Carson
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Ben Carson
Position: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 5, 2016
Hearing:
January 12, 2017
Committee:
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Reported:
January 24, 2017
23-0
Confirmed:
Vote:
On December 5, 2016, the Trump transition team announced that President Donald Trump intended to nominate Ben Carson for secretary of housing and urban development.
Carson’s professional experience includes working as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and running his own philanthropic organization. Carson endorsed Trump after suspending his own bid for the Republican nomination in March 2016.
In a July 2015 op-ed that Caron wrote, he criticized an HUD rule that laid out guidelines for communities to use to ensure their compliance with the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In that piece, he said, “These government-engineered attempts to legislate racial equality create consequences that often make matters worse.”[48]
Carson appeared before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on January 12, 2017. On January 24, 2017, the committee unanimously voted to favorably report Carson’s nomination to a full Senate vote.[49]
U.S. Secretary of Energy
Rick Perry
Nomination Tracker
Candidate: Rick Perry
Position: Secretary of Energy
Confirmation Progress
Announced:
December 13, 2016
Hearing:
January 19, 2017
Committee:
Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Reported:
January 31, 2017
17-6
Confirmed:
Vote:
Rick Perry was chosen by President Donald Trump as his choice for Secretary of Energy on December 13, 2016. Perry is a Republican politician and the former Governor of Texas. He assumed office in December 2000 when Governor George W. Bush, then the president-elect, resigned to prepare for his inauguration as President of the United States. Perry was elected to full terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010.[50] Perry retired from the governorship in 2014. He ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 and 2016.
Perry appeared before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on January 19, 2017.
In his opening statement, Perry addressed his call