President-elect Trump is in the process of selecting his nominations for his Cabinet members, a process American citizens and the stock market are watching intently. All of these positions are immensely powerful, as Cabinet members have more access to the president than almost anyone else. However, some are more influential than others, as we’ll explain. 

Key Points

• Most presidential cabinet members oversee the departments of the executive branch of government.
• Their power comes from their access to the President, the responsibilities of their departments, and the portion of the budget they control.
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The Cabinet Positions

The President’s cabinet consists of 16 people: the Vice President and the 15 heads of executive branch departments. The department heads manage their departments, implement federal laws and policies in their areas of responsibility, report to the President and consult with him and give advice about policy areas relevant to their work. The department heads all have the title “Secretary” (such as: “Secretary of State”) except for the Department of Justice, headed by the Attorney General.

What Makes a Cabinet Member Powerful?

The cabinet members with the most power are often those who have the most access to the president, and thus, the greatest opportunities to influence his decision-making. Some of them, because of the nature of their duties, meet more often with the president than others. Because foreign relations are a perennial concern, the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State are always powerful positions. In times of a national crisis, a relatively lower-level position may become influential, such as the Secretary of Health and Human Services during a pandemic.

Often, the president’s own priorities and interpersonal relationships with cabinet members can be decisive. For example, President-elect Trump has made no secret of the fact that he plans to eliminate the Department of Education. So it should come as no surprise we are placing it at the lowest level of influence in our ranking of the power of cabinet members, at least in the incoming administration. See if you agree with our ranking. We’ve also included photos of President Trump’s picks for these positions. Note that these must be approved by the Senate before taking office. 

1. The Vice President

• Responsibilities: The responsibilities of the Vice President differ depending on what the President assigns to them.
• The Office of the Vice President has an annual budget of approximately $2.6 million.
• Biden: Kamala Harris
• Trump: J.D. Vance (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: The Vice President went through the same electoral process as the President and was elected along with him by the American people. Thus, he does not need Senate approval as the other cabinet members do. He has to be prepared at any moment to step into the President’s role. For this reason, he has extensive access to the President, attends most of the same meetings, and is fully briefed on the nation’s affairs.

2. Secretary of Defense

• Responsibilities: Manages the country’s defense against foreign threats and trains and equips the American military. 
• Budget: $842 billion
• Biden: Lloyd Austin
• Trump: Pete Hegseth (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: The Department of Defense coordinates the country’s national defense. It’s always a powerful position, but will be especially so in the next four years due to the wars in Ukraine and Israel and the simmering crises over Iran’s nuclear program, China’s threats to Taiwan and the South China Sea, and the perennial belligerence of North Korea. 

3. Secretary of State

• Responsibilities: In charge of U.S. foreign relations, diplomatic negotiations, oversight for U.S. embassies, and coordinating American programs related to foreign countries.  
• Budget: $63.1 billion
• Biden: Antony Blinken
• Trump: Marco Rubio (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Trump has promised to end the war in Ukraine, which will require intense diplomatic effort. He has appointed to this powerful office Marco Rubio, a well-recognized figure once thought to be the most viable alternative to Trump to win the Republican presidental nomination. 

4. Secretary of Homeland Security

• Responsibilities: This department helps the U.S. government prevent and manage national security threats. 
• Budget: $60.4 billion
• Biden: Alejandro Mayorkas
• Trump: Kristi Noem (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: The Department of Homeland Security has responsibility for law enforcement and implementation of policies related to immigration. These are areas where president-elect Trump has promised tough action early in his new administration. It is also in charge of the Secret Service, which failed to protect Trump adequately in an assassination attempt and needs review and possible reform. 

5. Attorney General

• Responsibilities: The Attorney General is in charge of the Department of Justice, which handles criminal prosecutions and enforces federal laws. Immigration is one of the areas managed by the Department of Justice.
• Budget: $39.7 billion
• Biden: Merrick Garland
• Trump: Pam Bondi (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Trump has numerous lawsuits still in process against him and has been critical of Attorneys General in the past for their handling of investigations. Many commentators believe Trump may try to use the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute his political enemies. He will be consulting frequently with his Attorney General to explore the limits of this department’s power. 

6. Secretary of the Treasury

• Responsibilities: Manages many aspects of the country’s economy, taxation, and the national debt. 
• Budget: $13.3 billion
• Biden: Janet Yellen
• Trump: Scott Bessent (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Economic issues are a high priority for the new president. His appointee to the office shares his view of trade tariffs on foreign imports. 

7. Secretary of Commerce

• Responsibilities: This department focuses on economic development and creating jobs. 
• Budget: $14.8 billion
• Biden: Gina Raimondo
• Trump: Howard Lutnick (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: As a businessman, Trump is keenly interested in the country’s economic indictors. He will be especially interested in cutting regulations to create a more business-friendly environment.

8. Secretary of Labor

• Responsibilities: Overseas the country’s workforce, including regulations related to workplace safety, job training, and federal labor standards. 
• Budget: $11.5 billion
• Biden: Julie Su
• Trump: Lori Chavez-DeRemer (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Labor Unions have traditionally voted Democratic, but many of the rank and file members have been attracted by Trump’s populist rhetoric. The administration will want to cement this support while also reducing federal regulations related to labor issues. 

9. Secretary of Energy

• Responsibilities: The Secretary of Energy coordinates the country’s energy production, civilian nuclear power, nuclear safety standards, and sustainable energy. 
• Budget: $18 billion
• Biden: Jennifer Granholm
• Trump: Chris Wright 
• Reason for Ranking: The president-elect favors increasing American petroleum production, including drilling for oil in protected land in Alaska. He will likely reallocate resources away from sustainable energy initiatives under the previous administration. He will likely be spending some time with the Secretary of Energy to develop his plans. 

10. Secretary of the Interior

• Responsibilities: The Secretary of the Interior manages the country’s natural resources and federal lands, including national parks and Native American reservations. 
• Budget: $18.9 billion
• Biden: Deb Haaland
• Trump: Doug Burgum (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Trump wants to make federal lands more available for economic development, particularly drilling for oil. This area is under the purview of the Department of the Interior. 

11. Secretary of Health and Human Services

• Responsibilities: This department implements healthcare policies and social service programs for vulnerable people. 
• Budget: $1.7 trillion in mandated spending and $144.3 billion in discretionary spending
• Biden: Xavier Becerra
• Trump: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Trump was critical of the policies of the Department of Health and Human Services during the latter half of the COVID-19 pandemic. He may want to reform this department and reduce its budget. 

12. Secretary of Veterans Affairs

• Responsibilities: Oversees the benefits available to Veterans and their dependents. 
• Budget: $369.3 billion
• Biden: Denis McDonough
• Trump: Doug Collins
• Reason for Ranking: While a supporter of the military, Trump has had a troubled relationship with veterans due to some of the sentiments he has expressed about POWs. He may do some things in this area to try to mend fences, but it is not likely to be a high priority of his administration. 

13. Secretary of Agriculture

• Responsibilities: The Secretary of Agriculture implements national polices related to food safety standards and agricultural policies. 
• Budget: $25.3 billion
• Biden: T0m Vilsack
• Trump: Brooke Rollins (pictured)
• Reason for Ranking: Rural areas tend to support Trump, so he will give some attention to these issues. However, agriculture will be less of a priority than some other issues.

14. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

• Responsibilities: In charge of urban planning, housing policies, and related areas. 
• Budget: $70 billion
• Biden: Marcia Fudge
• Trump: Scott Turner
• Reason for Ranking: Although the high price of housing is a national problem right now, urban areas tend to vote for Democrats. President Trump is likely to be interested more in the issue of law enforcement in the cities than urban renewal. 

15. Secretary of Transportation

• Responsibilities: Manages the country’s road, rail, air, and sea infrastructure and related policies.
• Budget: $108.5 billion
• Biden: Pete Buttigieg
• Trump: Sean Duffy
• Reason for Ranking: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 allocated $1.2 trillion to upgrade the country’s infrastructure. This will be seen more as an issue that has already been addressed adequately for now and not in need of further attention. 

16. Secretary of Education

• Responsibilities: Coordinates and implements education policies and the money the federal government provides to schools. 
• Budget: $93.2 billion
• Biden: Miguel Cardona
• Trump: Linda McMahon
• Reason for Ranking: Trump has declared his intention to eliminate the Department of Education.

 

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