Trump picks Dr Nesheiwat as Surgeon General, Bessent as Treasury Secretary and Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary

US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will nominate well-known international investor Scott Bessent for Treasury Secretary, Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer for Labor Secretary, and Dr Janette Nesheiwat as the next Surgeon General of the United States of America.

Making a slew of announcements for top administrative positions on Friday, November 22, Trump appointed Alex Wong as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor and Dr Sebastian Gorka as Senior Director for Counterterrorism.

Former Congressman Dr Dave Weldon has been nominated to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Marty Makary for FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Commissioner, and Scott Turner as Housing and Urban Development Secretary.

Russell Thurlow Vought has been appointed Director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB). All the appointments would come into effect on January 20, 2025, when Trump would be sworn in as the 47th president of the US. The nominations need to be confirmed by the US Senate before the nominees are sworn in to their respective positions.

Talking about his Treasury nomination, Trump said, “Scott is widely respected as one of the world’s foremost international investors and geopolitical and economic strategists. Scott’s story is that of the American Dream.”

Bessent is an American investor, philanthropist, and educator. He is the Founder and CEO of Key Square Group.

“On the eve of our great country’s 250th Anniversary, he will help me usher in a new Golden Age for the United States as we fortify our position as the world’s leading economy, centre of innovation and entrepreneurialism, and destination for capital, while always, and without question, maintaining the US Dollar as the Reserve Currency of the World,” he said.

“Unlike in past Administrations, we will ensure that no Americans will be left behind in the next and greatest economic boom, and Scott will lead that effort for me and the great people of the United States of America,” he added.

Trump said Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer’s strong support from both the business and labour communities would ensure that the Labor Department can unite Americans of all backgrounds behind the “agenda for unprecedented national success – Making America Richer, Wealthier, Stronger and more Prosperous than ever before!”

Thank you for this opportunity, President Trump!

Working-class Americans finally have a lifeline with you in the White House.

It’s time to bring our economy to new heights and secure a prosperous future for all hardworking Americans. 🇺🇲🇺🇲 pic.twitter.com/72l2VziTKq

— Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@LChavezDeRemer) November 23, 2024

“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,” Trump said about his Surgeon General nominee.

I am deeply honored and humbled by this nomination to serve as Surgeon General of the United States. Thank you, Mr. President, for your trust. I pledge to work tirelessly to promote health, inspire hope, and serve our nation with dedication and compassion @realDonaldTrump #MAHA pic.twitter.com/anKuzkYNcz

— Dr Janette Nesheiwat (@DoctorJanette) November 23, 2024

Alex Wong served during his 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 Trump’s nominee in the first term for US Ambassador for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations. As Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, he helped negotiate Trump’s 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.

“Dr Sebastian Gorka will be returning to the White House as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism,” Trump said.

Honored beyond words to serve President @realDonaldTrump once again, in what will be the greatest Administration of the modern age. #MakingAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/Y0wvlrwGvh

— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) November 23, 2024

“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,” Trump said.

Americans have lost trust in the CDC and in the federal health authorities, Trump said, alleging that these 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,” said the president-elect.

“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,” Trump said.

Observing that the FDA has lost the trust of Americans and the sight of its primary goal as a regulator, Trump said the agency needs Marty Makary as 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 said.

“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,” Trump said.

Dr Makary currently leads the evidence-based medicine and Public Policy Research Group at Johns Hopkins, he added.

Trump’s nominee for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner is an NFL Veteran who, during his first term, served as the First Executive Director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalisation Council (WHORC), helping to lead an “unprecedented effort” that transformed the most distressed communities.