Trump Tackles Government Waste, Digital Currency, Space With Slew of Nominees

President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of nominees who will, if confirmed, impact administration policy on Big Tech, space, cryptocurrency, slashing government waste, and the economy. 

Several are new faces, while others are returning from the first term. 

Here’s a look at the announced nominations and appointees and how they could affect the Trump agenda in the next four years. 

Counsel for DOGE

Days after the election, Trump had previously named William McGinley to be incoming White House counsel. But on Wednesday, Trump announced McGinley would be counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory body that will work on cutting costs. 

“Bill will work with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and their team of incredible pioneers at DOGE, to rebuild a U.S. Government that truly serves the People,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. 

“Bill will play a crucial role in liberating our Economy from burdensome Regulations, excess spending, and Government waste,” Trump continued. “He will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to provide advice and guidance to end the bloated Federal Bureaucracy.”

Trump also tapped David A. Warrington to lead the Office of White House Counsel, with the official role of assistant to the president and counsel to the president. Warrington has been Trump’s personal lawyer, and represented the campaign. He is a partner at Dhillon Law Group, and a former president of the Republican National Lawyers Association. 

DOJ and Big Tech

Trump also put Big Tech firms on notice by nominating Gail Slater to be the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. 

“Big Tech has run wild for years, stifling competition in our most innovative sector and, as we all know, using its market power to crack down on the rights of so many Americans, as well as those of Little Tech!” Trump posted. “I was proud to fight these abuses in my First Term, and our Department of Justice’s antitrust team will continue that work under Gail’s leadership.”

Slater was formerly on the Federal Trade Commission and the White House National Economic Council. She has been an adviser in the Senate office of now Vice President-elect JD Vance. She has also worked for Fox and Roku. 

“In her new role, Gail will help ensure that our competition laws are enforced, both vigorously and FAIRLY, with clear rules that facilitate, rather than stifle, the ingenuity of our greatest companies,” Trump added. 

SEC and Digital Currency

Trump also announced Paul Atkins to be the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He will replace the controversial SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, appointed by President Joe Biden. 

Atkins, a former SEC commissioner, founded Patomak Global Partners, a risk management consultancy, and has co-chaired the Chamber of Digital Commerce’s Token Alliance since 2017. His work in digital currency could be key as the outgoing Gensler, who is resigning in January, faced congressional Republican accusations of overreach and appeared to be a foe of digital currency.

“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations. He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.”

During a House Republican press conference earlier Wednesday, Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said he was counting down to Gensler’s departure in January. 

“He’s been an incompetent cop on the beat, pushing American firms into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party and will undoubtedly go down as the worst SEC chair in the history of this country,” Emmer said. 

“He wasted a large part of the SEC’s resources to wage war on the crypto industry, a strategy that has proven unsuccessful for him, as the SEC continues to lose again and again in the courts,” Emmer continued. “I look forward to working with President Trump and his new SEC chair to deliver on our America First agenda for the digital asset community.”

Navarro Returns

Peter Navarro will return to the administration as a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing. During Trump’s first term, he directed the White House National Trade Council.

The Biden administration Justice Department charged Navarro with contempt of Congress for not providing testimony to the partisan House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the Capitol. He spent four months in federal prison. 

“I am pleased to announce that Peter Navarro, a man who was treated horribly by the Deep State, or whatever else you would like to call it, will serve as my Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

“During my First Term, few were more effective or tenacious than Peter in enforcing my two sacred rules, Buy American, Hire American. He helped me renegotiate unfair Trade Deals like NAFTA and the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), and moved every one of my Tariff and Trade actions FAST,” Trump added. 

Making Space Exploration Great Again

Trump said he will nominate former astronaut Jared Isaacman to be the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump posted of his NASA pick. 

Isaacman is the founder of Shift4, a financial technology company. He also co-founded Draken International, a defense aerospace company, Trump noted.

“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump added. 

Treasury, Taxes, and Small Business

Trump said he is nominating Michael William Faulkender to be deputy Treasury secretary. If confirmed, Faulkender will work under Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent to “usher in a new Golden Age for the United States by delivering a Great Economic Boom for all Americans,” Trump said.

Faulkender was previously assistant secretary for economic policy at the Treasury Department during Trump’s first term.

Trump announced Wednesday evening that he would nominate former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler to be administrator of the Small Business Administration.  

“Kelly will bring her experience in business and Washington to reduce red tape, and unleash opportunity for our Small Businesses to grow, innovate, and thrive,” Trump posted. “She will focus on ensuring that SBA is accountable to Taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud, and regulatory overreach.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, nominated Loeffler to the U.S. Senate in 2019 to fill the seat vacated by former Sen. Johnny Isakson. She lost the seat in an early 2021 runoff against Democrat Raphael Warnock. 

“Kelly was a tremendous fighter in the U.S. Senate during the first Trump Administration, including helping to pass the first ever bill to protect Women in Sports. Prior to her tenure in the U.S. Senate, Kelly built a 25 year career in financial services and technology,” Trump continued. 

Continuing his slew of nominations, the president-elect named former Rep. Billy Long, R-Mo., to run the Internal Revenue Service.

“Billy brings 32 years of experience running his own businesses in Real Estate and, as one of the premier Auctioneers in the Country,” Trump posted. “He then served 12 years in Congress, because he ‘felt it was important for his constituents to have a Representative who has signed the front of a check!’”

New National Security Picks

Trump announced he would nominate Daniel P. Driscoll to be secretary of the Army. Driscoll is a former Army Ranger who deployed with the 10th Mountain Division as a Cavalry Scout Platoon Leader during the Iraq war. He went on to graduate from Yale Law School. 

“As a former Soldier, Investor, and Political Advisor, Dan brings a powerful combination of experiences to serve as a disruptor and change agent,” Trump posted. 

Trump also announced that Adam Boehler would be his special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, with the personal rank of ambassador. Boehler previously served as the CEO of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation.

“Adam worked for me as a Lead Negotiator on the Abraham Accords team,” Trump posted. “He has negotiated with some of the toughest people in the World, including the Taliban, but Adam knows that NO ONE is tougher than the United States of America, at least when President Trump is its Leader. Adam will work tirelessly to bring our Great American Citizens HOME.”

250th Celebration, Soccer, and Olympics

Perhaps the most well-known nominee announced on Wednesday was former Assistant Treasury Secretary Monica Crowley, a former political talk radio host and frequent TV commentator. Now Trump has tapped her to be the “ambassador, assistant secretary of state, and chief of protocol of the United States of America.” 

This means she will be an administration representative for major U.S.-hosted events such as the upcoming U.S. 250th Birthday on July 4, 2026, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, Trump explained on Truth Social.

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