President-elect Donald Trump has made two more key nominations ahead of his return to the White House in January.
Tom Homan, 62, will assume the role of Trump’s “border czar,” having previously served as the returning president’s acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
New York State Representative Elise Stefanik, 40, has also been appointed ambassador to the United Nations, the BBC’s US partner CBS News confirmed.
Meanwhile, Trump’s Republican Party is getting closer to taking full control of the U.S. Congress. They already have a majority in the Senate and only need to win a handful of seats to take the House.
The party needs 218 seats. Securing majority in the House of Representatives. According to CBS, there are 215 Republicans, compared to 210 Democrats.
Control of the House gives political parties the power to introduce spending bills and initiate impeachment proceedings against public officials.
Majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate would give Trump a greater chance of getting his plan approved than if Democrats controlled one or both.
Meanwhile, attention was focused on who Trump had appointed to his administration.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Homan would be in charge of “our nation’s borders, including but not limited to our southern border, northern border, and all maritime and air security” (“border czar”). said “.
He continued: “Similarly, Tom Homan will be responsible for deporting all illegal aliens to their countries of origin. Congratulations to Tom, I have no doubt he will do a fantastic job that has been long overdue.”
One of Trump’s main campaign promises was to deport immigrants living in the United States illegally.
A senior source close to Trump’s transition told CBS News that Trump chose Stefanik to be ambassador to the United Nations and Stefanik accepted the role.
In a statement sent to CBS News immediately afterward, President Trump said, “It is an honor to nominate Chairman Ellis Stefanik to the Cabinet as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.” “Ellis is an incredibly strong, tough and smart America First warrior.”
She confirmed to the New York Post that she had accepted the role, saying she was “really honored.”
“In my conversation with President Trump, I shared how humbled I was to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate,” she said.
Trump was previously appointed Susie Wiles As his chief of staff. Trump called her an “ice maiden” during his presidential victory speech, a reference to her composure.
Another name running to join the administration is billionaire X Owner. Elon MuskA person who played a key role in Trump’s election campaign, Robert F Kennedy Jr. – A person who ran his own presidential campaign before endorsing Trump.
Florida Senator rick scott With support from Musk and others, he could potentially become Senate majority leader.
trump said Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo – Both served in the first administration and no new positions are being offered.
The president-elect is responsible for making about 4,000 political appointments. Trump took months to assemble his cabinet during his first presidency.
Some appointments, including the position of ambassador to the United Nations, require confirmation from the U.S. Senate. But Trump has called for the next Senate president to be able to make appointments without a traditional confirmation vote.
Trump confirmed that Horman would have a broad role overseeing border security and deportation policy, two of his key campaign issues.
Homan, a former police officer, also played a key role in Trump’s first term as president as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice).
He resigned in 2018 but remained a supporter of Trump’s hard-line stance. He supported separating immigrant children from their parents as a means to prevent illegal crossings, and said politicians who support immigrant protections should be prosecuted for crimes.
Homan is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that published the Project 2025 document that laid out a “wish list” for a second Trump election. Trump distanced himself from the organization.
Stefanik became the youngest female member of parliament in 2014 at the age of 30. She continues to represent New York’s 21st District.
The fourth-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives initially positioned himself as a moderate and critic of Trump after entering politics, but later became a staunch defender of Trump.
In a statement to the New York Post, Trump described her as an “incredibly strong, tough and smart America First warrior.”
The role of UN ambassador is critical to global cooperation and security, and Stefanik’s nomination comes amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East.
