Di chosen ones - 10 pipo wey dey trusted to deliver for Trump

Trump don promise to introduce swift and radical change from day one wen e return to di White House on 20 January.

Di pipo e nominate for di most powerful jobs share a common theme – loyalty to di top man. But each individual also bring dia own ideas about how to approve Trump policies.

We look at five factions wey dey trusted to deliver some of Trump most discussed pledges, and ask our sabi pipo to assess how effective, or troublesome, dis pipo fit be.

Dis na one of Trump biggest campaign pledges – to secure di border and throway pipo wey come into di US illegally.

Di biggest deportation for US history, wey some polls suggest say e get growing support, dey promised. But how dat go work in practice or paid for no dey known yet.

Kristi Noem, Homeland security secretary

"Evri illegal alien first act for our kontri na to break di law."

Di four-term congresswoman wey become govnor of South Dakota for 2018 draw national attention wit her outspoken rejection of mask mandates and lockdown measures during di Covid pandemic.

For di midst of di pandemic, Noem celebrate di Fourth of July wit Donald Trump for her state Mount Rushmore national memorial.

She dey veri critical of di border policies of current US President Joe Biden.

Noem refuse to accept Afghan refugees and na di first govnor to send members of her state national guard to Texas to help wit border enforcement.

Her appointment require make di US senators confam her.

Tom Homan, Border tsar

"Dis na di biggest national security vulnerability dis nation don see since 9/11 and we gatz fix am."

Wit decades-long career working as US border enforcement officer, di former policeman wey run Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) be like di ideal pick for one of Trump top tasks.

E be early advocate of separating children from dia parents or caregivers wey cross di border witout documentation, wey don become one of Trump more controversial immigration policies during im first presidential term.

Homan na regular commentator on conservative television news channels, wia e take confrontational attitude toward Democratic politicians wey dey unwilling to cooperate wit federal immigration enforcement efforts.

Analysis: Delivering di crackdown

Aside from di economy, polls repeatedly suggest say immigration and di border wit Mexico na primary concerns for many voters. Putting Homan and Noem for di helm – wit anoda hardliner Stephen Miller in charge of border policy – suggest say Trump dey serious about delivering on im promises.

But mass deportations and workplace raid fit put am on a collision course wit Democratic-leaning states and jurisdictions wey fit decide to push back or not co-operate.

Some Republican states – wey dia economies dey rely, in part, on immigrant labour – fit also disagree. And if families dey separated again, as dem be for Trump first term, or American citizens dey deported alongside undocumented relatives, public opinion fit turn quickly.

Foreign policy: Di China hawks

Many conservatives believe say China pose di single greatest threat to continue US global dominance, both economically and militarily.

While Trump dey more careful, limiting most of im China opposition to di realm of trade, e dey fill im foreign policy team wit vocal China critics wey dey likely to help push through Trump pledge for high tariffs.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of state

"Di threat wey go define dis century na China. And we go need a whole-of-society – no be just govment – effort to match dem."

A senator wey don represent Florida since 2011, Cuban-American Rubio na veteran public official wey don once support bipartisan immigration reform and na early vocal critic of Trump.

Di two bin sometimes develop heated fight wen Rubio unsuccessfully run for di Republican presidential nomination for 2016, but e later endorse Trump.

For recent years, e don aggressively defend Trump for campaign trail and for media appearances.

Part of di Senate intelligence and foreign relations committees, e dey known for im hard-line positions on Iran and di Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as China.

At 53 years old, e still fit retain White House ambitions and fit use di Department of State posting to elevate im national profile.

Michael Waltz, National security adviser

"Authoritarian regimes dey encouraged by perceived weakness, weda e dey fair or not – na dia perception. And dem dey discouraged by strength."

A decorated military special forces veteran, Waltz na congressman wey represent Florida like Rubio.

E also dey tok tough on China – afta e argue as chair of a House subcommittee for di US to prepare more for conflict for di Pacific.

For 2022, e be one of di first members of Congress to call for di United States to boycott di Winter Olympics for Beijing.

E don criticise di positions of di outgoing administration – including ova di troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

E don also criticise US military policies wey e say dey cause racial and gender diversity, equity and inclusion ova war-fighting capability.

Analysis: Most consequential relationship

For im first term, Trump trigger a trade war wit Beijing and label Covid di "Chinese virus". But e also put praise on President Xi Jinping as a "brilliant" leader ruling wit an "iron fist".

Dis unpredictability fit make managing America most consequential strategic relationship even harder.

Rubio fit also clash wit Tulsi Gabbard, Trump pick for director of national intelligence, wey previously criticise am ontop foreign policy, saying e "represent di neocon, warmongering establishment".

Efficiency: Di cost-cutters

Trump don appoint two tech figures – Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy – to lead a cost-cutting effort wey be di "Department of Government Efficiency" (Doge) as part of im drive to "dismantle" bureaucracy wen e return to di White House.

Musk don float a possible $2tn (£1.6tn) for spending cuts, vowing to send "shockwaves" through di govment.

Ramaswamy dey say e go comot di tax-collecting agency, di IRS, and di Department of Education.

E remain to dey seen how di Doge – wey no be official govment department go operate.

Elon Musk, Government efficiency

"Threat to democracy? No, threat to BUREAUCRACY!!!"

Di South Africa-born boss of X, Tesla and SpaceX, among oda ventures, na di world richest pesin.

E dey known for im opposition to perceived govnment overregulation, im combative social media presence and im zealous cost-cutting afta acquiring X (den Twitter).

Musk long reject efforts to label im politics, but emerge for 2024 as one of Trump top-spending supporters, pouring hundreds of millions into re-election efforts and appearing alongside Trump and for solo events for key battlegrounds states.

E don suggest say to transition to new technologies fit make govment smaller, more effective and more efficient.

Vivek Ramaswamy, Government efficiency

"Di FBI no fit dey 'reformed'. Di right answer na to: shut am down. Yes, di president fit do am. I go do am."

Di Indian-American multimillionaire earn im fortune as a biotechnology entrepreneur and den found an asset management firm.

E contest di 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pledging to take up Trump "America First" agenda.

For several months im popularity grow within di party to give am a prominent position during presidential debates (wey Trump skip) and a greater level of media scrutiny.

E ultimately drop out to support di former president, but no be witout attracting attention for im unconventional campaign platform and embrace of conspiracy theories including say di 2020 election dey "stolen by big tech" from Trump, and say di 2021 Capitol riot na "inside job".

E dey advocate aggressive cuts to di federal govment, including mass firings and di eliminations of entire agencies and departments.

Analysis: Empowering campaign cheerleaders

Di appointments na acknowledgment of di help Trump get for di campaign trail from Musk and Ramaswamy.

But time go tell which power dem get – di department no be official agency and fit only advise on spending, wey dey partially controlled by Congress.

Deep cuts na odds wit Trump oda promises, wey include leaving social security and Medicare untouched.

All change: Di disruptors

Some Trump appointees don get roles wit aim to aggressively challenge di status quo.

Di president-elect don pick particular fights for each of di areas dem fit oversee – Kennedy for di Department of Health and Human Services and Gabbard as director of national intelligence.

Robert F Kennedy Jr, Health and human services

"Ultra-processed food dey drive di obesity epidemic. Wen we get President Trump back to White House and me to Washington, we go fix our broken food system and make America healthy again."

Trump pick na longtime lawyer and environmentalist from di nation most famous Democratic family.

Despite having no medical qualifications, e go get broad remit ova US federal health agencies – including dose wey don oversee approval of vaccines, wey e wan review.

Some of Kennedy stated aims, for example on water fluoridation, dey bound up wit misinformation.

On oda matters e get more public support, for example to scrutinise di food system and di use of additives.

Kennedy initially run for di 2024 Democratic presidential nomination den switch to an independent bid for di White House.

E ultimately abandon di campaign and endorse di former president to solidify an unlikely alliance.

If di Senate confam am, e fit land am a key spot for Trump cabinet.

Tulsi Gabbard, National intelligence

"(Trump) exercise di courage dat we expect from our commander-in-chief… to get di courage to meet wit adversaries, dictators, allies and partners alike for di pursuit of peace, seeing war as a last resort."

A military veteran wey serve wit a medical unit for Iraq, Gabbard dey always oppose American foreign policy.

For 2017 wen she be Democratic congresswoman, she get a meeting wit di den-president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, and cast doubt on US intelligence assessments wey dey blame am for using deadly chemical weapons.

Afta Russia bin invade Ukraine five years later she blame Nato and echoe a Kremlin claim say dem get US-funded biolabs for Ukraine.

Her shift from left-wing backer of Bernie Sanders to vocal Trump advocate make am look like unusual political journey.

But her anti-establishment, anti-interventionist attitudes dey consistent throughout.

Analysis: Harnessing di bomb-throwers

Kennedy and Gabbard fit dey among di most determined supporters of Trump plan to scatta di bureaucratic "deep state". Both appointees frequently tip ova into conspiracy. But bomb-throwers fit also make unruly subordinates.

Kennedy want more strict regulation across food and farming industries, wey fit collide wit Trump govment-slashing agenda.

And Gabbard, a fierce critic of American power, go dey work for a president wey no dey afraid to use am– for instance, against Iran.

Economy: Di tariff enforcers

Key picks go help spearhead a trade and tariff agenda wey Trump vows go protect American jobs.

E fit ask dem to execute di import taxes wey Trump don threaten on goods wey dey arrive for di US, including from top trade partners China, Canada and Mexico.

Howard Lutnick, Commerce secretary

"Na win-win situation… we go make a bunch of money on di tariffs, but mostly, evribody else go negotiate wit us."

Lutnick na di billionaire chief executive of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald – a company e rebuild afta e lost 658 employees for di 9/11 attack on di World Trade Center.

Im role as a major Trump campaign donor landed him a job as transition team co-chair, wia hee go dey involved to fill thousands of job openings for di new administration.

E also na di president-elect pick to serve as secretary of commerce.

E loudly back Trump economic plans, including wide-ranging tariffs – wey di commerce department go dey tasked to enforce – as well as deregulation of cryptocurrencies and di elimination of income tax.

As e dey embrace dose views , e put am out of step wit many for im industry, wey tend to see tariffs as bad for corporate America.

Scott Bessent, Treasury secretary

"Like Alexander Hamilton, we no go dey afraid to use di power of tariffs to improve di livelihoods of American families and businesses"

Bessent na also a veteran financier, wey im appointment dey viewed as fairly safe by many on Wall Street.

E bring a relatively conventional CV to di wide-ranging treasury secretary brief, including a stint wit billionaire George Soros, one of di most prominent and prolific Democratic campaign contributors.

Bessent now firmly dey di conservative camp, howeva, backing budget cuts, deregulation, and increased investment in US oil production.

While e support Trump calls for new tariffs on imports, like Lutnick e suggest say Trump see tariffs primarily as a negotiating tool and not as a permanent source of US revenue.

Analysis: Trump bargaining chip

Trump don show consistent appetite for tariffs – both as an economic theory and an all-purpose tool to fight kontris on various issues. But im plan conflict wit oda priorities like a sunny stock market and bringing down inflation, raising questions about which costs e dey prepared to stomach.

Trump economic team represent some of di most experienced players for im administration. Though loyal to dia boss ideas, dia relatively moderate backgrounds come as a relief to markets.

Dat na sign of both di value Trump places on wetin Wall Street tink– and di delicate task im team face to balance im competing economic agendas.

Credits

Written by Anthony Zurcher, Laura Blasey, James FitzGerald, Tom Geoghegan, Bernd Debusmann Jr, Natalie Sherman, Tom Bateman and Mike Wendling. Design by Oliver Bothwell, François de Montremy and Jenny Law. Produced and edited by Tom Finn, Paul Sargeant and Dominic Bailey. All images: Getty