Trump Brings Texans to White House

By Texas Tribune

  Trump is bringing a handful of Texans into his Cabinet to execute his agenda. Trump tapped former Texas state Rep. Scott Turner to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, former Gov. Rick Perry policy director Brooke Rollins to lead the Agriculture Department and former U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe of Heath to lead the CIA. Trump named Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii who has recently moved to Texas, as his pick for Director of National Intelligence and Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta to be ambassador to Italy.

  Several other Texans were circulated as potential administration picks. Trump said last May that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton would be “great” as U.S. Attorney General. Paxton is a close ally of the president-elect, filing a lawsuit to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election that Trump lost. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston was interviewed early in the transition as a potential contender for Defense Secretary. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi got tapped for the attorney general post, and Fox News host Pete Hegseth became Trump’s pick to lead the Pentagon.

  The Texans are among the less controversial picks for his administration, meaning they are likely to be confirmed by the Senate swiftly. None of them have faced the personal criticisms of other Trump picks, though Rollins’ nomination hearing is not slated to take place until later this week. Ratcliffe and Turner both went before Senate committees last week in largely cordial hearings.