President-elect Donald Trump, having secured a decisive return to the White House, began assembling his new team late Saturday, making his first official announcements about the composition of his emerging cabinet.
In a formal statement, Trump confirmed that neither Nikki Haley, his former UN Ambassador, nor Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State from 2018 to 2021, will be returning to positions in the White House.
"I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country," the president-elect wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Haley, who mounted a significant challenge against Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, ultimately withdrew from the race in March 2024 after Trump's commanding victory. Both Haley and Pompeo have maintained strong pro-Israel positions throughout their careers. Pompeo demonstrated this commitment by visiting Israel after the outbreak of the war in 2024, meeting with wounded soldiers and participating in a blood donation drive alongside his wife.
The potential return of Pompeo faced fierce opposition from some Trump loyalists. Media personality Alex Jones criticized the potential return of Pompeo, calling him untrustworthy and suggesting that Pompeo poses a personal threat to Trump and that Trump's handling of this situation will demonstrate his ability to identify and remove what Jones refers to as Deep State influences.
The intense criticism of Pompeo stems from his perceived cooperation with certain investigations targeting Trump. Similarly, Trump's trust in Haley eroded due to her extended primary challenge and her criticism of his statements in the lead-up to the election.
American media reports indicate three leading contenders for secretary of state: Robert O'Brien, Senator Bill Hagerty, and Senator Marco Rubio. For the position of US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who served in this role during Trump's first term and maintains a long-standing relationship with the president-elect, is being considered.
The final vote tallies, released four days after Trump's victory, confirmed his win in Arizona over Kamala Harris – completing his sweep of all swing states. The Arizona victory added 11 electoral votes to Trump's column, bringing his total to 312.
