President-elect Donald Trump announced his picks for various high-level positions in the State Department, as he rounds out his Cabinet with less than a month and a half until Inauguration Day.
Trump’s State Department is taking shape after he nominated Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) for secretary of state, a position that will need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Here are the picks Trump made on Sunday night.
Deputy secretary of state
Trump nominated Christopher Landau, who served as his U.S. ambassador to Mexico, as his deputy secretary of state, a position in the State Department just below secretary of state. If the secretary of state is absent, the deputy secretary of state will serve in that role in an acting capacity.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump pointed to Landau’s record on reducing illegal immigration and mentioned his legal bona fides, including clerking for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
“I am pleased to nominate Christopher Landau to serve as Deputy Secretary of State. Chris will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation’s security and prosperity through an America First Foreign Policy. Chris served as my Ambassador to Mexico, where he worked tirelessly with our team to reduce illegal migration to the lowest levels in History,” he said.
Trump added, “He is also one of our Country’s great lawyers, and clerked for both Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas on the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from Harvard College, first in his Class, and Harvard Law School, and has argued nine cases in the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Director of policy planning
Trump announced that Michael Anton, who was on the National Security Council during Trump’s first administration, will be director of policy planning at the State Department. The role includes recommending foreign policy advice to the secretary of state.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump pointed to Anton’s experience in government, the private sector, and academia and praised his “America First” foreign policy.
“Michael Anton will become Director of Policy Planning at the State Department. Michael served me loyally and effectively at the National Security Council in my First Term. He has an extensive background in Government, the private sector, and academia. He spent the last eight years explaining what an America First foreign policy truly means,” he said.
Counselor of the State Department
Trump picked Michael Needham as his counselor to the State Department, largely an advisory role to the secretary of state.
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In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump pointed to his experience working under Rubio and his role in the “America First Movement.”
“Michael Needham will serve as Counselor of the Department of State. Mike has capably served Senator Marco Rubio for many years, and is a key leader in the America First Movement. He has been on the front lines of the fight for the Forgotten Men and Women of America for nearly two decades, and will do a great job at State,” he said.
