JUST IN: Trump’s Picks Revealed For National Security Advisor, DHS Chief

The national security team for President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration took a major step forward on Tuesday with his announcement of a top advisor described by allies as a “hawk” on U.S. interests. At this same time, Trump’s nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security signals a return to a secure border.

Fox News reported that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a staunch ally, will take point on the new administration’s border crackdown, stepping up enforcement measures meant to deter millions of asylum seekers from thinking about making the trek. Noem, previously under consideration for the presidential ticket, now joins Tom Homan, Trump’s pick to lead U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement. In addition to overseeing ICE, DHS holds purview over the U.S. Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, both embattled with recent scandals.

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Newsweek separately discovered that President Trump has tapped Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), a Green Beret veteran who succeeded Ron DeSantis in Congress, as his senior national security advisor. If approved by the U.S. Senate, Waltz would be at the forefront of negotiating ends to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Before serving in Congress, Waltz held a long career at the Pentagon during the George W. Bush administration, serving as defense policy director for Secretaries of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates.

No announcement has been made or is expected by the Trump administration yet, said two sources who confirmed the news with Fox. But if the past is present, those in place around the Republican are well-sourced; On Monday sources confirmed that Stephen Miller would be elevated to the role of deputy chief of staff for White House policy, a pick that was later confirmed on social media by Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. Similarly, sources unveiled that President Trump will be nominating Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), a one-time foe, to the powerful Cabinet position of secretary of state.

Also on Monday, the Trump transition team announced New York Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) would head up the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he is expected to “dismantle” the green energy initiatives put in place by the Biden-Harris administration. Trump has also tapped New York Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as his ambassador to the United Nations. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), having reached the cusp of a bare majority, must now contend with three vacancies in his ranks as he assembles a coalition to push through the GOP’s conservative agenda.

Trump’s second trip to Washington, and his selections along the way, are a stark reminder of the lessons he learned during his first term. Previous establishment picks like former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), ultimately hamstrung his ability to remake large swaths of the federal government and foreign policy. This time around, loyalty to Trump during his campaign is the coin of the realm.

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