Mike Pence Reacts to Donald Trump’s Appointments

Former Vice President Mike Pence said he is “very encouraged” by the Cabinet appointments made by President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump has wasted no time in shaping his next administration after beating Vice President Kamala Harris in last week’s election. His choices will have to be confirmed by the Senate, which Republicans also flipped to their control last week, meaning Trump’s Cabinet should take shape soon after January’s swearing in of the new Congress.
Speaking at The Dispatch Summit in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Pence described his former running mate’s appointments so far as “conservative men and women who I believe will serve the country well, serve the president-elect well.”
“Conservatives need to understand that we’re part of a broader coalition. Now, we need to do our jobs,” Pence said, according to reporting from Semafor’s David Weigel. “I am very encouraged by the early appointments by the president-elect.”
Pence specifically highlighted Florida Senator Marco Rubio while speaking on Tuesday, who according to media reports sits atop Trump’s list for secretary of state. Three people familiar with the decision told The New York Times that Trump could still change his mind about Rubio at the last minute.
Trump also announced on Tuesday that he had appointed Florida Representative Mike Waltz as his national security adviser, saying in a statement that the retired Army National Guard officer “has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda and will be a tremendous advocate for our pursuit of Peace through Strength.”
Trump’s other selections include Tom Homan, head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump’s first administration, as his “border czar.” South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been appointed as Trump’s Department of Homeland Security secretary, according to a report from CNN. Trump’s 2024 campaign manager, Susie Wiles, has also been chosen as Trump’s chief of staff, the first woman to be selected for the role.
Pence—whose relationship with Trump has been strained since the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol—also praised the GOP for taking control of the Senate and securing a majority of seats in the House of Representatives so far. Control over the lower chamber of Congress is still pending.
As of Tuesday evening, per the Associated Press, Republicans had secured 214 of the 218 seats required to retain control of the House. Democrats had 205.
“The nature of leadership that [Trump] practices is one of getting input from all sorts of different sources,” Pence said at The Dispatch Summit, per Weigel. “I think they’re off to a good start.”
Newsweek sent a note to Trump’s transition team via email for comment on Tuesday.