President-elect Donald Trump announced a slew of new administration picks on Wednesday, including his choices to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, the IRS and NASA — as well as the first ever envoy for “hostage affairs.”
The move comes as Trump, 78, looks to wind down global conflicts that erupted during President Biden’s tenure — in both the Middle East and Ukraine — and make good on his mandate from voters to bring back the roaring economy that his first term ushered in before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are the major announcements Trump made on appointments on Wednesday.
Adam Boehler for Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs
Adam Boehler will serve in a novel position as Trump’s special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, which will also have the rank of ambassador.
Trump noted in his announcement that Boehler worked with him as a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords, which in 2020 opened up diplomatic relations between Israel and the Arab nations of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
“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,” the once and future president posted on his Truth Social. “Adam will work tirelessly to bring our Great American Citizens HOME.”
Boehler, a businessman, was college roommates with Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who led the the Abraham Accords negotiations.
After leaving the administration in 2021, Boehler founded a health care investment firm called Rubicon Founders.
Trump has already prioritized getting home US hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip — more than a year after the terrorists invaded Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping more than 250.
In a scathing message on Monday, the soon-to-be 47th president warned there will be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released soon — hours after it was confirmed that New Yorker Omer Neutra, 21, was killed by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.
“Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!” Trump wrote.
Billy Long for IRS commissioner
Former Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) was announced as Trump’s pick to lead the Internal Revenue Service.
Long, a 69-year-old certified auctioneer, represented Missouri’s 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2023. He has worked as a business and tax adviser since leaving office, assisting small businesses “navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.”
“Billy brings 32 years of experience running his own businesses in Real Estate and, as one of the premier Auctioneers in the Country,” Trump said of the incoming IRS commissioner.
“Taxpayers and the wonderful employees of the IRS will love having Billy at the helm,” the president-elect added. “He is the consummate ‘people person,’ well respected on both sides of the aisle.”
Paul Atkins for Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Trump selected Paul Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Global Partners, to be chairman of the SEC.
The former president has expressed friendly views on cryptocurrency, and Atkins, who is a backer of crypto, would be replacing Gary Gensler, who has led a crackdown on crypto companies.
Atkins previously served as one of five SEC commissioners between 2002 and 2008 in the Bush administration and was one of the economic leaders advising Trump in 2016 through the President’s Strategic and Policy Forum.
“Paul is a proven leader for common sense regulations,” Trump said in his Truth Social post. “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. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.”
Monica Crowley for Chief of Protocol of the United States
Trump tapped Monica Elizabeth Crowley to lead implementation efforts for major US events throughout his administration, in the position of ambassador, assistant secretary of state and chief protocol of the US.
Crowley will be the administration’s representative for “America’s 250th Birthday in 2026, the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028,” Trump wrote in his announcement.
The former Fox News personality served as Trump’s assistant secretary of public affairs in the Treasury Department during his first term, then serving as spokesperson for the department.
Gail Slater for assistant attorney general for the Antitrust Division at the Justice Department
Trump also said Gail Slater — an economic adviser for Vice President-elect JD Vance and an antitrust guru — will be the assistant attorney general for the antitrust division at the DOJ.
The position, Trump said, will allow Slater to potentially break up big tech platforms.
“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 wrote in his Truth post.
Slater previously worked as a legal adviser at the Federal Trade Commission and general counsel at the former Internet Association, a tech industry trade association, before joining Trump’s first administration in 2018 as special assistant to the president for technology, telecommunications and cybersecurity.
She then worked for Fox and the streaming device company Roku before becoming Vance’s economic adviser and later serving an antitrust adviser to the Trump transition team.
“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 wrote.
Michael Whatley for Chairman of RNC
Michael Whatley will be reprising his role as chair of the Republican National Committee after leading since March when Ronna McDaniel stepped down following pressure from the former president.
Trump praised Whatley’s record of leading the RNC through their election integrity efforts and their get out the vote initiative that won him the election.
“He is a smart, tough lawyer who put together a completely unprecedented ELECTION INTEGRITY OPERATION that protected the Vote all across America, and a GET OUT THE VOTE CAMPAIGN that delivered the Votes we needed in every Battleground State,” Trump wrote.
“Michael and Lara transformed the RNC into a lean, focused, and powerful machine that will empower the America First Agenda for many years to come.”
Jared Isaacman to lead NASA
Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman was tapped by the president-elect to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Isaacman, 41, is the founder and CEO of the payment processing company Shift4 and founded Draken International, which operates a large fleet of privately owned military aircraft to train and support air forces around the world.
A close collaborator with Elon Musk, Isaacman performed the first private spacewalk in September in which he flew the farthest from Earth a human has been since the Appollo moon missions.
“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump said in his announcement.
Kelly Loeffler for the Small Business Administration
Former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) was nominated by Trump to serve as administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Loeffler, a vocal supporter of Trump, served about a year in the upper chamber beginning in January 2020 and has recently been leading the president-elect’s inaugural committee.
The former Georgia lawmaker has an MBA from DePaul University has worked for several major corporations, including Citibank. She was the CEO of Bakkt, a software company, and a former part-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA team.
“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 wrote in his announcement. “She will focus on ensuring that SBA is accountable to Taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud, and regulatory overreach.”
