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★★★★★★★★★★★★★

The Trump Cabinet

Backgrounds, qualifications, and documented controversies of the officials leading the executive branch.

$0 Annual Salary (each)
~$6.6B Cumm. Net Worth
0 Current Members
0 Notable Departures
$7.4T FY2026 Budget
$1.7T Projected Deficit
~$38.4T National Debt
You're seeing the full analysis. Switch to "At a Glance" for a quick overview.

Current Cabinet

Officials currently serving in President Trump's second-term cabinet (2025–present).

Click any row to see documented impacts & controversies

Budget Δ reflects proposed FY2026 changes vs. FY2025. Most cuts represent eliminated programs and staff, not efficiency savings. The freed funds were largely reallocated to Defense (+13%), Homeland Security (+65%), and Veterans Affairs (+4%).

Official Education Prior Role Salary Est. Net Worth Budget Δ Vote
MR

Marco Rubio

Secretary of State
▼
Education:B.S., Univ. of Florida; J.D. (cum laude), Univ. of Miami Law
Prior Role:U.S. Senator from Florida (2011–2025); FL House Speaker
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$1M
Budget: -48%
Vote: 99–0

⚙ Documented Impacts

Cancelled 83% of USAID programs (~5,200 contracts worth tens of billions), laying off 5,800+ employees.
Researchers estimate USAID cuts could contribute to 14 million deaths over five years in affected regions.
Designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.
Froze passport applications requesting "X" sex markers.

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major personal controversies documented. First Latino Secretary of State and highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history.

PH

Pete Hegseth 3

Secretary of Defense
▼
Education:Princeton (B.A.); Harvard (M.A.)
Prior Role:Fox News co-host; Army National Guard officer (Iraq, Afghanistan)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$3–6M
Budget: +13%
Vote: 51–50

⚙ Documented Impacts

Terminated $580M+ in programs/contracts; eliminated 239 contracts with $1.7B ceiling value.
Cut $1.6B in climate-change programs and $360M in social science research grants.
Ordered 20% reduction in four-star generals and admirals.
Fired or sidelined dozens of senior military leaders including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Chief of Naval Operations.
Military leaders report trust has "evaporated" between civilian and military leadership.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Sexual assault allegations threatened his confirmation; Sen. Thom Tillis initially opposed based on these allegations.
Criticized for lack of Pentagon leadership experience compared to traditional Defense Secretaries.
Issued directive canceling Pentagon-funded attendance at Ivy League and elite universities, calling them "woke breeding grounds of toxic indoctrination."
SB

Scott Bessent

Secretary of the Treasury
▼
Education:B.A. in Political Science, Yale University
Prior Role:CIO of Soros Fund Management; CEO of Key Square Capital; Yale adjunct professor
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$521–700M
Budget: -19%
Vote: 68–29

⚙ Documented Impacts

Made 2017 tax cuts permanent (Working Families Tax Cut Act).
Interest on public debt exceeded $1 trillion annually for the first time in history.
Claims deficit ratio fell from 6.5% to 5.9%; analysts project deficit target of 3% is ~$1 trillion above actual trajectory.

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major personal controversies documented. First openly gay person to lead the U.S. Treasury Department.

PB

Pam Bondi 3

Attorney General
▼
Education:B.A. in Criminal Justice, UF; J.D., Stetson Univ. Law
Prior Role:Florida Attorney General (2011–2019); Asst. State Attorney (1994–2009)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$10–12M
Budget: -10%
Vote: 54–46

⚙ Documented Impacts

Shut down FBI Foreign Influence Task Force designed to counter foreign election interference.
Disbanded KleptoCapture anti-corruption task force (had seized billions in sanctioned assets).
Directed DOJ to "investigate and penalize" DEI in the private sector.
Rolled back Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement.
Directed 40 states to share citizen voter data with federal government.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Trump University donation scandal: Received 22+ fraud complaints; four days later her PAC received $25,000 from Trump Foundation. Subsequently declined to join multi-state lawsuit against Trump University.
Spread Trump's false claims about 2020 election integrity.
Controversial handling of Justice Department investigation of Epstein files.
RK

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 4

Secretary of Health & Human Services
▼
Education:J.D., UVA Law; Adjunct Prof., Pace Univ. Law
Prior Role:Environmental attorney; Asst. DA Manhattan; President of Children's Health Defense (anti-vaccine org.)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$15–20M
Budget: -26%
Vote: 52–48

⚙ Documented Impacts

Reduced childhood vaccine schedule from 18 to 11 diseases.
Cut $11B in CDC grants to local health departments across the country.
Cancelled $500M in mRNA vaccine research contracts.
Cut NIH indirect cost rate from 50%+ to 15%, stripping billions in research funding from universities.
Cut $1B in school food programs (Local Food Purchase Assistance & Emergency Food Assistance).

⚠ Documented Controversies

Lacks healthcare qualifications: UCLA experts expressed concerns; struggled in confirmation hearing answering Medicare/Medicaid questions.
Family opposition: Sister Caroline Kennedy publicly denounced him as a "predator" and "hypocrite" in letter to senators.
Despite testimony he wouldn't cut vaccine funding, fired incumbent vaccine advisory panel members and appointed vaccine opponents; panel recommendations changed drastically.
The Lancet editorial board documented dismissal of employees, revisions contradicting decades of science, cuts to research, and promotion of "junk science."
DB

Doug Burgum

Secretary of the Interior
▼
Education:B.S., North Dakota State; M.B.A., Stanford
Prior Role:Governor of North Dakota (2016–2024); CEO of Great Plains Software (sold to Microsoft for $1.1B)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$100M–1.1B
Budget: -10%
Vote: 79–18

⚙ Documented Impacts

Opened 1.5M acres of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
Named to lead National Energy Dominance Council.
Committed to eliminating 10 regulations for every 1 new regulation.
Revoked Arctic Coast drilling restrictions.

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major controversies documented.

HL

Howard Lutnick 4

Secretary of Commerce
▼
Education:B.A. in Economics, Haverford College
Prior Role:CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald (since 1990); led company rebuild after 9/11 (lost 658 employees incl. his brother)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$2B
Budget: -18%
Vote: Feb 2025

⚙ Documented Impacts

Cut department from 52,000 to 40,000 staff.
Doubled semiconductor investment announcements ($279B → $555B); TSMC investment potentially exceeding $200B.
Implemented 25% global steel tariffs; threatened 200% tariffs on European alcohol.
Attracted over $1 trillion in foreign direct investment announcements.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Jeffrey Epstein ties: Acknowledged visiting Epstein's private island in 2012 with family. Epstein files show business relationship and interactions spanning 13+ years — continuing long after Epstein's 2008 conviction. A photo of Lutnick on the island was briefly removed from the DOJ's Epstein file repository. Volunteered to testify before House Oversight Committee (March 2026).
9/11 settlement controversy: Criticized for quietly retaining a portion of a $135 million settlement Cantor Fitzgerald received from American Airlines over 9/11 negligence. Also drew criticism for immediately stopping paychecks to families of the 658 employees killed, though he later authorized $45 million in bonuses and set up a $180M relief fund.
Conflict of interest: Rep. Jamie Raskin launched investigation into Lutnick and his son Brandon (current Cantor Fitzgerald Chairman) over reports the firm spent millions buying rights to potential tariff refunds — raising questions about profiting from Commerce Department tariff policy.
Cantor Fitzgerald paid $6.75 million to settle SEC fraud charges over misleading disclosures in filings.
BR

Brooke Rollins

Secretary of Agriculture
▼
Education:B.S. in Ag. Development, Texas A&M; J.D., UT Austin
Prior Role:Co-founded America First Policy Institute; Director of Office of American Innovation; led TX Public Policy Foundation
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$2–15M
Budget: -21%
Vote: 72–28

⚙ Documented Impacts

Cut $500M Local Food Purchase Assistance + $500M Emergency Food Assistance programs.
SNAP: Largest cut in history — $186B reduction via reconciliation bill.
Suspended November SNAP benefits affecting millions of families.
Rescinded roadless protections on 45–60M acres of national forest.
Delivered $8B of $10B emergency farm support (ECAP).

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major personal controversies documented. Second woman to serve as Agriculture Secretary.

LM

Linda McMahon 1

Secretary of Education
▼
Education:B.A. in French, East Carolina University
Prior Role:CEO/President of WWE (1980–2009); SBA Administrator (2017–2019); two-time unsuccessful Senate candidate
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$3.2B
Budget: -15%
Vote: 51–45

⚙ Documented Impacts

Reduced department staff by 47% (4,133 → ~2,200 employees).
Pell Grant maximum cut 23% ($7,400 → $5,700).
Eliminated funding for English language learner programs.
Working to dismantle Department of Education entirely.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Critics note minimal background in K-12 education, curriculum design, or educational policy despite leading the federal education department. Primarily business and entertainment industry background.
LC

Lori Chavez-DeRemer 2

Secretary of Labor
▼
Education:B.A. in Business Administration (first in family to graduate college)
Prior Role:U.S. Rep. for Oregon (2023–2025); Mayor of Happy Valley, OR; co-founded anesthesia mgmt. company
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$14.8M
Budget: -35%
Vote: 67–32

⚙ Documented Impacts

Paused all 99 Job Corps centers (25,000 students affected; 20% were homeless).
Federal judge halted shutdown as "unlawful".
Fired Bureau of Labor Statistics director after unfavorable jobs report.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Top two aides told to resign within 24 hours amid investigation into alleged department misconduct.
Reports of using government funds for a birthday party.
SD

Sean Duffy

Secretary of Transportation
▼
Education:B.A. in Marketing, St. Mary's; J.D., William Mitchell Law
Prior Role:Fox Business co-host; U.S. Rep. for Wisconsin (2013–2019); DA of Ashland County; MTV's Real World: Boston
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$4M
Budget: +6%
Vote: 77–22

⚙ Documented Impacts

Rolled back fuel economy standards from 50.4 mpg to ~34.5 mpg by 2031.
Allocated $2B for transit bus modernization.
Invested $686M in "family-friendly" public transit.
Removed DEI and climate provisions from DOT grants.

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major controversies documented.

CW

Chris Wright 4

Secretary of Energy
▼
Education:B.S. in Mechanical Eng., MIT; grad work at UC Berkeley & MIT
Prior Role:Founder & CEO of Liberty Energy ($2.8B); founded Pinnacle Technologies; shale gas pioneer
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$31–171M
Budget: -9%
Vote: 59–38

⚙ Documented Impacts

Approved multiple LNG export projects (Commonwealth, Delfin, CP2, Cheniere, Woodside).
Reversed consumer appliance efficiency standards.
Co-authored report "questioning mainstream climate science".
Announced largest-ever DOE nuclear power loans.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Climate change denial: Claimed "too little" CO2 is a bigger risk than rising levels; falsely stated climate change is not impacting extreme weather.
Posted to LinkedIn in 2023: "There is no climate crisis and we're not in the midst of an energy transition either."
Drank fracking fluid in 2019 video to claim it was not dangerous.
Deep ties to Koch political network, known for funding climate change denial groups.
DC

Doug Collins

Secretary of Veterans Affairs
▼
Education:B.A. in Poli Sci, UNG; M.Div., NOBTS; J.D., John Marshall Law
Prior Role:U.S. Rep. for Georgia (2013–2021); Air Force Reserve Chaplain (Colonel); pastor for 11 years
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$10M
Budget: +4%
Vote: 77–23

⚙ Documented Impacts

Targeting 72,000 position cuts (15% of workforce); ~17,000 reduced by mid-2025.
Recovered $106M in duplicate billing.
Benefits backlog down 49% since January 2025.
Permanently housed 51,936 homeless veterans (most since FY2019).

⚠ Documented Controversies

No major controversies documented.

ST

Scott Turner 1

Secretary of HUD
▼
Education:B.A. in Speech Communication, Univ. of Illinois
Prior Role:CVO at JPI housing developer; WH Opportunity Council dir.; TX State Rep.; NFL cornerback (Redskins, Chargers, Broncos)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$1–2M
Budget: -44%
Vote: 55–44

⚙ Documented Impacts

Proposed cutting $33.6B (44%) from HUD's ~$72B budget.
Capped permanent supportive housing at 30% of investments.
~170,000 people expected to lose supportive housing.
Introduced work requirements for housing assistance.

⚠ Documented Controversies

ProPublica reported Turner opposed efforts to aid the poor in housing programs; advocates reducing federal housing program investments while expanding Opportunity Zones.
LZ

Lee Zeldin 1

EPA Administrator
▼
Education:B.A. in Poli Sci, SUNY Albany; J.D., Albany Law School
Prior Role:U.S. Rep. for New York (2015–2023); NY State Senator; Army paratrooper, 82nd Airborne (Iraq); retired Lt. Colonel
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$1–3M
Budget: -55%
Vote: 56–42

⚙ Documented Impacts

Eliminated 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding.
Signed "largest deregulatory action in U.S. history" ($1.3T in compliance savings claimed).
Closed Office of Environmental Justice; 168 staff on administrative leave.
300+ EPA staff signed "Declaration of Dissent."

⚠ Documented Controversies

Critics concerned about environmental enforcement trajectory given deregulatory agenda. Appointed to lead agency he is expected to significantly scale back.

Notable Departures

Key officials who were fired, resigned under pressure, or departed amid controversy across both terms.

Click any row to see details

Official Education Prior Role Salary Est. Net Worth Budget Δ Tenure
KN

Kristi Noem 5

Secretary of Homeland Security
FIRED — Mar 2026
▼
Education:SD State University (attended); family ranching background
Prior Role:Governor of South Dakota (2019–2025); U.S. Representative (2011–2019)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$1–5M
Budget: +65%
Tenure: ~13 mo.

⚙ Documented Impacts

2.5M+ people left U.S. (1.9M self-deportations, 622K+ removals).
Spent $200–220M on ad campaign featuring herself.
170 documented cases of U.S. citizens detained by ICE.
Labeled shooting victim "domestic terrorist" without evidence.

⚠ Documented Controversies

Memoir revealed she shot and killed the family dog; also contained false claims about meeting foreign leaders.
FEMA mismanagement: Bottlenecked Hurricane Helene disaster relief by requiring personal approval on expenses over $100,000; cycled through three acting FEMA administrators.
Spent nearly $300 million on luxury jet fleet and $220 million on ads featuring herself.
Called U.S. citizens killed by federal agents perpetrators of "domestic terrorism."
Faced bipartisan criticism from Congress; reportedly criticized by multiple cabinet colleagues.
JM

James Mattis

Secretary of Defense
RESIGNED — Dec 2018
▼
Education:B.A. in History, Central Washington; M.A., National War College
Prior Role:Four-star Marine General; 43-year career; Commander of U.S. Central Command
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$6–10M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 26 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Resigned over fundamental policy disagreements, particularly Trump's announcement of immediate U.S. withdrawal from Syria. His resignation letter defended NATO, multilateralism, and alliances — positions Trump had undermined.
RT

Rex Tillerson

Secretary of State
FIRED — Mar 2018
▼
Education:B.S. in Civil Engineering, UT Austin
Prior Role:Chairman & CEO of ExxonMobil (2006–2016); 41-year Exxon career
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$300–340M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 14 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Fired after escalating tensions with Trump over foreign policy, particularly the Iran nuclear deal. No prior government or military experience. Reportedly called Trump a "moron" in a meeting.
JS

Jeff Sessions

Attorney General
FORCED OUT — Nov 2018
▼
Education:B.A., Huntingdon College; J.D., Univ. of Alabama Law
Prior Role:U.S. Senator from Alabama (1997–2017); Alabama AG; U.S. Attorney
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$5–15M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 21 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Resigned under pressure after recusing himself from the Russia investigation, enraging Trump. Trump repeatedly attacked him publicly and privately for the recusal, calling it his "biggest mistake."
MF

Michael Flynn

National Security Advisor
RESIGNED — Feb 2017 (24 days)
▼
Education:B.S. in Mgmt. Science, URI; M.A., Naval War College
Prior Role:Director of Defense Intelligence Agency; 33-year Army MI career; Lt. General
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$1–3M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 24 days

⚠ Reason for Departure

Resigned after misleading VP Pence about secret communications with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Later pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
JB

John Bolton

National Security Advisor
FIRED — Sept 2019
▼
Education:B.A., Yale University; J.D., Yale Law School
Prior Role:U.S. Ambassador to UN; Under Secretary of State; AEI Senior Fellow; Fox News contributor
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$6–8M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 17 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Fired (Trump claimed) / resigned (Bolton claimed) amid irreconcilable foreign policy disagreements over Venezuela, North Korea, and Afghanistan.
ME

Mark Esper

Secretary of Defense
FIRED — Nov 2020
▼
Education:B.S. in Engineering, West Point; Ph.D., George Washington Univ.
Prior Role:VP of Gov't Relations at Raytheon; combat infantry officer, 101st Airborne (Gulf War)
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$2–5M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 16 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Fired via Twitter after opposing Trump's insistence on using active-duty troops against George Floyd protesters in Washington D.C.
SP

Scott Pruitt

EPA Administrator
RESIGNED — July 2018
▼
Education:B.A. in Poli Sci, Georgetown; J.D., Univ. of Tulsa Law
Prior Role:Oklahoma AG (2011–2017); OK State Senator; sued the EPA 14 times as state AG
Salary:$246,400
Net Worth:~$736K–1M
Budget: N/A
Tenure: 17 mo.

⚠ Reason for Departure

Resigned amid at least 14 federal investigations into ethics violations: $43,000 soundproof phone booth, first-class flights, $50/night lobbyist apartment, proposed $70,000 bulletproof desk, using aides for personal errands, and seeking a White House internship for his daughter.

Sources & Methodology

Cabinet member information compiled from official government biography pages (.gov), Senate confirmation records, Ballotpedia, Wikipedia, Brookings Institution tracking data, and reporting from NPR, CNN, The Washington Post, and other major outlets. Budget Δ figures are based on the White House OMB FY2026 discretionary budget request (May 2025) compared to FY2025 enacted levels, sourced from USAFacts, Government Executive, and OMB data. Salary figures reflect the standard Executive Schedule Level I rate. Controversies and impacts are based on documented reporting and public records, not editorial opinion.

Last updated: March 2026

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