It’s been another crazy night of Trump nominations, with Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR) and Scott Bessent being tapped to lead the Department of Labor and the Treasury Department, respectively. Bessent’s nomination rounds out the Big Four of the Trump administration—attorney general, defense secretary, treasury, and secretary of state—but Ms. Chavez DeRemer might have some trouble due to her support of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
Still, that didn’t stop the president-elect from naming people to helm the Food and Drug Administration, Housing and Urban Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Office of Management and Budget tonight. Mr. Trump also named who he wants to be surgeon general:
I am proud to announce that Dr. Janette Nesheiwat will be the Nation’s Doctor as the United States Surgeon General. Dr. Nesheiwat is a double board-certified Medical Doctor with an unwavering commitment to saving and treating thousands of American lives.
Dr. Nesheiwat is a fierce advocate and strong communicator for preventive medicine and public health. She is committed to ensuring that Americans have access to affordable, quality healthcare, and believes in empowering individuals to take charge of their health to live longer, healthier lives.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked on the front lines in New York City treating thousands of Americans and helped patients in the aftermath of President Donald Trump’s Historic Operation Warp Speed that saved hundreds of millions of lives.
Her expertise and leadership have been pivotal during some of the most challenging Healthcare crises of our time. Dr. Janette provided on-the-ground medical treatment to Americans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornadoes. She is also a member of Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance, Relief Team, and has provided lifesaving care during crises in Morocco, Haiti, and Poland.
A proud graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Dr. Nesheiwat’s journey began with humble roots as one of five children raised by a widowed immigrant mother who worked as a nurse. Inspired by her mother’s resilience and compassion, Dr. Nesheiwat pursued a life of service, transforming her deep-seated desire to help others into a distinguished medical career.
Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to take over the CDC:
I am thrilled to announce that former Congressman, Dr. Dave Weldon, is nominated to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition to being a Medical Doctor for 40 years, and an Army Veteran, Dave has been a respected conservative leader on fiscal and social issues, and served on the Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, working for Accountability on HHS and CDC Policy and Budgeting. Dave also served in a leading role in Government Oversight and Reform Committee Hearings, addressing issues within HHS and CDC. Dave has successfully worked with the CDC to enact a ban on patents for human embryos.
Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in our Federal Health Authorities, who have engaged in censorship, data manipulation, and misinformation. Given the current Chronic Health Crisis in our Country, the CDC must step up and correct past errors to focus on the Prevention of Disease.
The current Health of Americans is critical, and CDC will play a big role in helping to ensure Americans have the tools and resources they need to understand the underlying causes of disease, and the solutions to cure these diseases. As a father of two and a husband of 45 years, Dave understands American Family Values, and views Health as one of utmost importance. Dave will prioritize Transparency, Competence, and High Standards at CDC. Dave will proudly restore the CDC to its true purpose, and will work to end the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and Make America Healthy Again!
Marty Makary was picked to be the next FDA administrator:
I am very pleased to nominate Marty Makary MD, MPH, FACS, for FDA Commissioner. FDA has lost the trust of Americans, and has lost sight of its primary goal as a regulator. The Agency needs Dr. Marty Makary, a Highly Respected Johns Hopkins Surgical Oncologist and Health Policy Expert, to course-correct and refocus the Agency. He will work under the leadership of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to, among other things, properly evaluate harmful chemicals poisoning our Nation’s food supply and drugs and biologics being given to our Nation’s youth, so that we can finally address the Childhood Chronic Disease Epidemic.
A member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine, Dr. Makary has devoted his career to improving Medical Quality and lowering Hospital and Drug Costs for all Americans. In addition, Dr. Makary is an accomplished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and a leading advocate for Healthcare Transparency. He has authored more than 300 scientific articles and three New York Times bestselling books on Healthcare.
Dr. Makary has been a pioneer in the fields of Public Health, Cancer Care, and Surgery, and a tireless voice for vulnerable populations. He is the recipient of the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation and numerous teaching awards. Dr. Makary currently leads the Evidence-Based Medicine and Public Policy Research Group at Johns Hopkins.
I am confident that Dr. Makary, having dedicated his career to High-Quality, Lower-Cost Care, will restore FDA to the Gold Standard of Scientific Research, and cut the bureaucratic red tape at the Agency to make sure Americans get the Medical Cures and Treatments they deserve.
Scott Turner was chosen to run HUD:
I am pleased to nominate Scott Turner, from the Great State of Texas, as the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Scott is an NFL Veteran, who, during my First Term, served as the First Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council (WHORC), helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities. Those efforts, working together with former HUD Secretary, Ben Carson, were maximized by Scott’s guidance in overseeing 16 Federal Agencies which implemented more than 200 policy actions furthering Economic Development. Under Scott’s leadership, Opportunity Zones received over $50 Billion Dollars in Private Investment!
After graduating from University of Illinois, Scott was drafted by the Washington Redskins, and spent nine years in the NFL before he went on to win a State House Race in Texas, where he was born and raised.
Scott is the Founder & CEO of his Family's Foundation, Community Engagement & Opportunity Council (CEOC), working to revitalize communities across America through Sports, Mentorship, and Economic Opportunity. He is also on the Board of the American Cornerstone Institute, and an Associate Pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
Scott will work alongside me to Make America Great Again for EVERY American. Congratulations to Scott, his wonderful wife, Robin, and his son, Solomon!
Russell Thurlow Vought was designated to run OMB:
I am very pleased to nominate Russell Thurlow Vought, from the Great State of Virginia, as the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He did an excellent job serving in this role in my First Term - We cut four Regulations for every new Regulation, and it was a Great Success! Russ graduated with a B.A. from Wheaton College, and received his J.D. from the Washington University School of Law. Russ has spent many years working in Public Policy in Washington, D.C., and is an aggressive cost cutter and deregulator who will help us implement our America First Agenda across all Agencies. Russ knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government, and he will help us return Self Governance to the People. We will restore fiscal sanity to our Nation, and unleash the American People to new levels of Prosperity and Ingenuity. I look forward to working with you again, Russ. Congratulations. Together, we will Make America Great Again!
Sebastian Gorka will return to the Trump White House in a senior advisory role, joining Alex Wong, who will serve as a national security advisor:
I am pleased to announce that Alex Wong will be appointed Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, and Dr. Sebastian Gorka as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism.
Alex served during my First Term as the Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State. He was also my Nominee in the First Term to be U.S. Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations. As Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, he helped negotiate my Summit with North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un. Alex also led the State Department’s efforts to implement the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Alex received his JD with High Honors from Harvard Law School, where he was the Managing Editor of the Harvard Law Review, and an Editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Summa Cum Laude. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and served as Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a Congressionally appointed panel. Alex previously served as the Foreign Policy Advisor and General Counsel to Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark). He also served for the State Department in Iraq as a Judicial and Anticorruption Advisor. Alex also spent years in private Legal practice, counseling Fortune 100 clients on International Trade and Governmental Investigations matters. He began his Legal career as a clerk for the Honorable Janice Rogers Brown of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Dr. Sebastian Gorka will be returning to the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President, and Senior Director for Counterterrorism. Since 2015, Dr. Gorka has been a tireless advocate for the America First Agenda and the MAGA Movement, serving previously as Strategist to the President in the first Trump Administration.
Dr. Gorka is a legal immigrant to the United States, with more than 30 years of National Security experience. In 2015, he was one of my Advisors for the GOP Primary Debates on National Security. At the time, he held the Major General Matthew C. Horner Chair of Military Theory at the Marine University Foundation, and was a Guest Instructor at the JFK Special Warfare Center and School, Fort Bragg. Prior to that, he was Associate Dean for Congressional Affairs and Relations to the Special Operations Community at National Defense University, and Kokkalis Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He is a Recipient of the DoD Joint Civilian Service Commendation awarded by USSOCOM for his work in Counterterrorism.
Dr. Gorka lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Katharine, who was a Presidential Appointee at the Department of Homeland Security, and Press Secretary for Customs and Border Protection in the first Trump Administration.
What a quiet Friday night.