The planned presidential transition of Donald Trump is an effort to prepare for the presidential transition from Joe Biden to Donald Trump, the Republican Party nominee for president of the United States, in the event that he is elected for a second non-consecutive term in the 2024 presidential election.
Trump became the party's presumptive nominee on March 12, 2024, and formally accepted the nomination at the Republican National Convention in July later that year. The Trump campaign announced the formation of the transition team on August 16, with Linda McMahon, Trump's former head of the Small Business Administration, and Howard Lutnick, the billionaire CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Group, officially named as co-chairs. Vice presidential nominee JD Vance, along with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were designated as honorary co-chairs.[2] The effort beginning at this time was considered unusually late, as historically, most transition efforts start in the late spring.[3]
Trump disavowed any connection to Project 2025, also known as the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, a 900-page governance proposal published in April 2023 by the Heritage Foundation. The document was authored by some 140 Trump associates. Heritage president Kevin Roberts said Trump was "making a political tactical decision there" by distancing himself from Project 2025.[4][5][6]
On August 27, attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard were also selected as honorary co-chairs, both of which being former Democrats who had recently endorsed Trump.[7] Kennedy had originally mounted an independent presidential bid before withdrawing from the race to endorse Trump, reportedly in exchange for a Cabinet position in his administration.[8]
In an August 2024 interview with Reuters, Trump expressed interest in appointing businessman Elon Musk to an administration position, potentially to his Cabinet, referring to Musk as "a brilliant guy." Musk, who is the billionaire CEO of SpaceX, Tesla and chairman of the board of directors of X, has expressed views aligned with Trump and financially supported his campaign through a super PAC. Musk had expressed interest in serving on a "government efficiency commission" if Trump were to be elected to another term.[9] However, days later, Trump walked back expectations of Musk joining his Cabinet, believing him to be too preoccupied with his business career to effectively serve.[10]
During Trump's selection of a running mate prior to the convention, North Dakota governor Doug Burgum and U.S. senator Marco Rubio were reported to be among the finalists for consideration.[11] When Trump eventually selected Vance as his vice presidential candidate, he made a phone call to Burgum in which he appeared to offer him a Cabinet position.[12] Since then, Burgum and Rubio have been considered as top contenders for Trump's secretary of state, with U.S. senator Bill Hagerty, who served as Trump's ambassador to Japan, also reported to be in consideration.[13] Burgum announced a diplomatic visit to Israel in September, in what was seen as an effort to campaign for the secretary position.[14] Former 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has also revealed he has held talks with Trump for a potential cabinet position. [15]