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Sources: Next Rio Tinto boss to cut costs and make big deals.
Rio Tinto's next CEO, who may be named as early as this month by the company, should be open for mergers and acquisitions that are transformative, as well as for cost-cutting and productivity improvements. After announcing in May that Jakob Stausholm was stepping down after four and a half years, the world's largest iron ore mining company is now in the final stages of selecting a new CEO through an internal search and an external search. Two other sources familiarized with the search process said that the finalist for the top position will present their case to the board this week in London. A decision could be made as early as the end of July. The timing of board presentations and Chair Dominic Barton’s preference that the new CEO be open to large deals, as well as his preference for the CEO to have a positive attitude towards them, were not previously reported. According to a report in May, internal candidates include Bold Baatar (chief commercial officer) and Simon Trott (chief executive of the iron ore division). A fifth source said that Chief Technical Officer Mark Davies was also a possible candidate. All sources spoke under condition of anonymity, as the search is confidential. Rio, who is due to announce its half-year results July 30, has declined to comment. Barton Trott Baatar Pecresse Davies have not responded to requests for comments. Barton met with stakeholders after Stausholm announced his departure to discuss this abrupt change of guard. Two people who were privy to Barton's discussions about his priorities for a new CEO revealed that he had floated the idea of a "big ticket M&A", with another mining giant, if enough value could be found. According to a source with knowledge of the matter, Glencore approached Rio about a possible asset combination in 2013. However, talks ended abruptly due to Stausholm's pushback. Analysts have suggested that a tie up with Canada's Teck Resources might be more suitable. A new CEO must walk a thin line between cost discipline, and repositioning a miner to a dramatic shift to copper. Copper is expected to become in high demand because of the energy transition. The two people Barton briefed said that the company has acknowledged the fact that its internal costs are excessive, including staffing. It needs a CEO to better manage these costs. Financial results reveal that from 2020 to 2024 costs at Rio increased by 46.5% faster than BHP and Anglo American. This means a new boss must be disciplined in capital allocation. RBC Capital Markets estimates that Rio will spend $30 to $35 billion over the next decade on capital expenditures, including $8 to $9 billion for lithium projects following Stausholm's May acquisition of two new lithium projects in Chile. Kaan Peker, an analyst at RBC, said: "Jakob had previously stated that they were going to be aggressive on lithium. But I wouldn't surprise if some lithium growth projects get pushed back a little in favour of Copper." Peker believes that any M&A is unlikely to happen in the near future because the new CEO would have to boost the share price of the company to get the best bang for the buck if it decides to use its shares to compete with another major miner. CONSTRAINTS According to a source familiar with the process of CEO search, the company has been discussing an internal hire. Analysts and investors have said that all the top contenders face constraints when it comes to a board that is concerned about operational excellence and cutting costs in particular. They added that it was uncertain whether a hire from within would be able to adequately address cultural issues, such as safety in Guinea or sexual harassment in Australia. Trott was responsible for the final ramp up of the Gudai Darri mine, which led to the second highest iron ore shipment in history by 2023. He also brought in new replacement projects. He also handled sensitive Aboriginal heritage matters after Rio damaged rock-shelters at Juukan Gorge, in 2020. Since Trott assumed the role of Rio in 2021 Rio has continued as the most expensive major Australian iron ore producers, its ore has decreased and it is currently guiding production to be in the lower half its expected range this year because of cyclones. It's been four tough years. "The business showed a turnaround in 2023, but it was a difficult hand because of Juukan Gorge as well as the weather," said Barrenjoey Analyst Glyn Lawcock. Baatar's concern is his relationship with the government, as he previously worked three years at Rio Copper, including the Oyu Tolgoi mine, in his native Mongolia. Stausholm announced in 2022 a reset for Mongolia, including a $2.4 billion debt waiver. Rio announced last month that it was forced to alter its mine plan because the government had delayed the transfer of the mining licence. Pecresse, a candidate who has led the Aluminium division to a 61% rise in EBITDA in 2024, is favored by some members of the board, according o ne source familiar with the process. He was a former leader of GE's renewable energies division. His departure from GE saw a significant expansion in the global presence of this unit, which had struggled to be profitable. Davies has been responsible for driving productivity improvements which could help cost-cutting initiatives. He led the smaller titanium and iron and marine arms of the company, but not its major operational divisions like other candidates. Analysts said that there is only a small chance of Rio hiring an outsider. Reports have previously mentioned that Newmont CEO Tom Palmer, and former Oz Minerals Chief Andrew Cole, are potential candidates. Investors have said that Sandfire Resources' CEO Brendan Harris could also be a candidate. Harris didn't respond to a comment request.
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Dollar gains on US tariffs; shares steady and oil drops
The Asian stock markets took the latest twist of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement on Tuesday in stride, while the dollar remained strong and oil fell. Wall Street shares fell after Trump sent a letter to 14 countries including Japan and South Korea revealing sharply increased tariffs on imported goods into the United States. He also delayed their implementation until August 1. Japan's Nikkei opened lower, but then turned positive when Trump said that the deadline was "firm but not 100% solid" and that tariffs could be adjusted for certain countries. The Aussie Dollar surged when the Reserve Bank of Australia held policy rates at their current level, as expected. Tapas Strickland is the head of market economy at National Australia Bank. He said that there was a muted reaction from the market to Trump's tariff announcements, as a result of Trump's swift reversal of his "Liberation Day", duties originally set out on 2 April. Strickland told a NAB podcast that "there's going be a lot volatility" as headlines begin to appear, more letters are released, and the negotiation process really comes to the forefront before the August 1 deadline. Trump set a 10% cap on all so-called reciprocal trade tariffs until the 9th of July to allow time for negotiations. Two agreements have been made, with Britain, and Vietnam. Washington and Beijing reached an agreement in June on a framework for tariff rates. This restored a fragile truce to their trade war. Tariffs for Japan and South Korea will now increase to 25% by August 1. The Japanese prime minister Shigeru Shiba described the increase as deeply regrettable, and stated that his country would continue to negotiate with the U.S. Thailand’s finance ministry Pichai Chunhavajira revealed his country was preparing a backup plan to deal the 36% tariff on its exports. EU sources informed on Monday that the European Union would not receive a letter outlining higher tariffs. After a "good conversation" between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a spokesperson for the commission said that the EU is still hoping to reach a deal on trade by Wednesday. The broadest MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan increased by 0.3%. Japan's Nikkei index rose 0.4% while South Korea's KOSPI increased 1.5%. After reaching a new two-week high, the dollar gained 0.1% at 145.88yen. The euro increased by 0.3% to $1.1744. The Australian dollar increased by 0.8% to $0.6541. The RBA kept its cash rate at 3.85%. This was a surprise to markets who had confidently priced a reduction. They said that the majority of board members wanted to wait until more information could be confirmed to confirm the inflation slowdown. U.S. crude oil fell 0.5% to $66.71 a barrel, after surging almost 2% on Sunday. Spot gold fell 0.2%. Euro Stoxx futures in the pan-region were down by 0.2%. German DAX was also down by 0.2%. FTSE futures fell 0.4%. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong, Sonali Paul and Rocky Swift)
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Australia's central Bank keeps rates at 3.85% and stuns the markets
The central bank of Australia left its cash rate unchanged at 3.85% on Tuesday, shocking markets that had confidently bet on a reduction. It said the majority wanted to wait until more information was available to confirm the inflation slowdown. The Australian dollar rose 0.8% to $0.6545 while the three-year bond contract extended previous losses by falling 13 ticks to 96.5. The Reserve Bank of Australia, which concluded a two-day meeting on policy, said that it was cautious about the outlook for inflation. Six members voted in favor of keeping rates the same, while three others voted against. This is a rare split vote by the board. The markets had almost fully priced in an easing of the RBA to 3.60%, given that core inflation has slowed down to the midpoint of its 2%-3% target range. Consumer spending is also proving to be weaker than anticipated. The board stated that they could wait until more information was available to confirm the inflation rate is still on track to achieve 2,5% on a sustainable base. It noted that the monetary policy was well placed to respond to international developments, if they had material implications for Australian activity and inflation. On Monday, Donald Trump escalated his global trade war by telling trading partners such as Japan and South Korea higher U.S. duties would begin on August 1. However, there were opportunities for further negotiations. The RBA reduced interest rates twice in February and once in May. However, the cuts did not have much of an impact on consumer spending despite driving housing prices to new records. A stubbornly frugal customer is the reason why the economy barely grew during the first quarter. Retail sales data suggest that households are saving instead of spending tax cuts. In May, the closely watched trimmed average measure of inflation hit 2.4%. This was a three-and-a half year low. It also fell below the target range of 2-3%. Many economists shifted their call for a rate cut to July, from August. However, the labour market remained resilient. This is why it's not a good idea for RBA to rush into stimulatory policies. Since over a year, the unemployment rate has been at 4,1%. (Reporting and editing by Shri Navaratnam.
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Oil prices ease as traders evaluate US tariffs and OPEC+ production hike
Investors retreated from oil prices on Tuesday, after a nearly 2% rise in the previous session. They were assessing new developments regarding U.S. Tariffs and a larger-than-expected OPEC+ production increase for August. Brent crude futures fell 22 cents or 0.3% to $69.36 per barrel at 0330 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude fell 27 cents or 0.4% to $67.66 per barrel. U.S. president Donald Trump began Monday telling U.S. trade partners, including major suppliers South Korea, Japan, as well as smaller U.S. Exporters such as Serbia, Thailand, and Tunisia that the U.S. will begin imposing sharply higher tariffs on August 1. He later clarified that this deadline is not 100% certain. Trump's tariffs have caused uncertainty on the market, and there are concerns that they could negatively impact the global economy, and therefore, oil demand. There are signs that demand is still strong, especially in the U.S. Last week, AAA data showed that a record number of Americans (72,2 million) were expected to travel over 50 miles (80 kilometers) during their Fourth of July holidays. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission published data on Monday that showed money managers increased their net-long positions in futures and options contracts for crude oil in the week leading up to July 1. Seasonal factors continue to support a healthy prompt demand. It remains to be seen if the forward demand can continue to absorb OPEC+'s larger than expected supply. India, the third largest oil consumer in the world, also showed signs of increased demand. government data Reporting fuel consumption was 1.9% more than it was a year earlier in June. On Saturday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and its allies agreed to increase production by 548,000 barrels a day in August. This is a higher rate than the 411,000 bpd they increased for the previous three months. This decision eliminates almost all the voluntary reductions of 2.2 million bpd that the group made. Five sources with knowledge of the situation say that they are likely to approve a 550,000-bpd increase for September at their meeting on August 3. This would undo all the cuts. Analysts said that the actual increase in production has been less than what was announced and the majority of the supply comes from Saudi Arabia. (Reporting from Stephanie Kelly in New York, and Jeslyne Lerh in Singapore. Editing by Christian Schmollinger).
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Exxon, Hess Dispute Over Chevron Deal Nears Resolution
The arbitrators in a legal dispute between Exxon Mobil and Hess have reached a decision related to a major oilfield project in Guyana, according to two sources familiar with the matter.The ruling will determine whether Chevron can move forward with its $53 billion planned acquisition of Hess.The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce, which is overseeing the arbitration case, is now reviewing the decision before it is released to the parties.It is unclear what the arbitrators decided or when the decision will be released."We remain confident in our position and appreciate the arbitration panel giving this issue the due consideration it deserves," an Exxon spokesperson said in a statement.Hess, Chevron and the ICC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Chevron struck its deal to acquire smaller U.S. oil producer Hess in October 2023, with the prize being the latter's 30% stake in the prolific Stabroek block in Guyana that is operated by Exxon with a 45% interest.The closing of the acquisition has been delayed due to arbitration claims from Exxon and CNOOC, the other minority partner in the joint venture, who argue that they have a contractual right of first refusal to purchase Hess' stake in the Stabroek block. CNOOC did not immediately respond to request for comment.Chevron and Hess argue the clause does not apply to the sale of the whole company. If they lose the arbitration or are unable to agree on an acceptable resolution with Exxon and CNOOC, the acquisition would fail, according to the terms of the deal.The stakes are high for Chevron. Acquiring Hess is key to Chevron CEO Mike Wirth's strategy to improve the company's performance. Gaining access to the Stabroek block would provide a valuable addition to Chevron's declining oil and gas reserves.(Reuters - Reporting by Sheila Dang in Houston; Editing by Sandra Maler and Sonali Paul)
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Rotra Futura RoRo Vessel Enters Offshore Wind Operations
The Rotra Futura Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) vessel has entered operations, with the transportation of wind turbine blades from Denmark to the United States.The project supply vessel, specifically designed to handle larger and heavier offshore wind turbine components, collected the 108-meter-long blades at the Port of Aalborg, Denmark, under the supervision of deugro Denmark’s wind experts.The vessel, delivered in late March 2025, was developed as part of the the partnership between Danish logistics specialist deugro, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Amasus Offshore.“We are delighted to officially welcome Rotra Futura to our fleet of RoRo vessels dedicated to servicing the offshore wind industry.“After years of preparation and hard work, it brings great joy to finally see her in action.“Witnessing the first loading operation executed so smoothly and precisely – just as we had planned for – is a proud moment for our entire team. Rotra Futura has performed to our full expectations, reaffirming her vital role in supporting the logistics needs of the offshore wind market,” said Dennis Bjørslev Jensen, Branch Manager, deugro Denmark.Rotra Futura's sister ship Rotra Horizon was launched in Apirl 2025, from Zhenjiang Shipyards in Jiangsu Province, China, and is salted for delivery this July.Pair of China-Built Offshore Wind Vessels Enter Fleet
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Gold prices hold steady as investors evaluate US tariff hike
Gold prices held steady after U.S. president Donald Trump announced higher tariffs for imports from Japan and South Korea. A firmer dollar and higher Treasury yields also limited gains. As of 0220 GMT, spot gold was unchanged at $3,334 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures are unchanged at $3.344.20. Trump told trade partners on Monday that the U.S. would begin imposing tariffs of 25% on all goods imported from Japan and South Korea on August 1. This marks a new phase in his trade war, which he began earlier this year. Trump stated that the deadline of August 1, 2018 for the implementation of tariffs is firm, but he will consider extensions if other countries make proposals. The "reciprocal tariffs", which were set at 10%, remained in place until the 9th of July to allow time for negotiations. However, only agreements have been reached with Britain and Vietnam. Tim Waterer, KCM Trade's Chief Market Analyst, said that Trump's latest tariffs letters keep gold on the radar of investors looking for a hedge against uncertainty. However, a strong dollar and rising bond yields limit the metal's upside potential in the short term. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. notes hovered around a two week high while the U.S. Dollar Index steadied, after hitting a one-week-high in the previous session. Gold's price increases when the dollar is stronger. Waterer stated that "traders appear relatively unfazed" by Trump's tariffs letters. With safe-haven demands largely contained, gold is just waiting to see if a breakout on the topside occurs. Trump's tariffs have increased inflation fears and complicated the Federal Reserve's efforts to reduce interest rates. The minutes of the Fed meeting from June, which are expected to be released on Wednesday, will provide more information about the central bank's outlook. The spot price of silver fell 0.1%, to $36.78 an ounce. Platinum rose 0.6%, to $1379.29, and palladium grew 1%, to $1170.46. (Reporting and editing by Sumana Nady and Subhranshu Sahu in Bengaluru.
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Iron ore prices rise despite Trump's tariff threats
Iron ore prices rose on Tuesday due to a resilient short-term demand from China, the world's largest consumer. However, caution caused by President Donald Trump’s threat of increased tariffs limited gains. As of 0244 GMT, the most traded September iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange added 0.14%. It now stands at 733 yuan per metric ton. As of 0234 GMT, the benchmark August iron ore traded on Singapore Exchange was up 0.55% at $95.75 per ton. The near-term demand for iron ore was stable, as shown by the relatively high output of hot metal, which is a measure of iron ore consumption, and underpins the prices of this key ingredient in steelmaking. The fall in portside iron ore inventories, which fell 0.4% compared to the previous week and reached 144.04 millions tons by July 7, according to data from Mysteel consultancy. The resumption of trade tensions around the world has limited price gains. Trump began Monday telling his trade partners, from major suppliers like Japan and South Korea down to minor ones, that the U.S. will be imposing sharply higher tariffs on August 1. This marks a new phase of the trade war Trump launched earlier this summer. Coking coal and coke were both up by 0.54%, but other steelmaking ingredients did not change much. The benchmarks for steel on the Shanghai Futures Exchange have been moving sideways. Rebar fell 0.13%, while hot-rolled coils were down 0.06%. Wire rod remained flat, and stainless steel was up 0.63%. The (steel market) focus has returned to the seasonally weak fundamentals, after the frenzy over promises of crackdowns on price wars receded," Zhuo Guqiu said. Analyst at Jinrui Futures. The downside is likely to be limited, as supply and demand are not in conflict at the moment. (Reporting and editing by Amy Lv, Lewis Jackson, and Rashmi aich).
Trump 2.0: Who's gotten a top task in his administration, and who's in the running for one?
Donald Trump has begun the process of picking a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration authorities following his presidential election success.
Here are the early choices and top contenders for a few of the key posts supervising defense, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, migration and economic policymaking. Some remain in contention for a variety of posts.
SUSIE WILES, chief of personnel Trump on Thursday announced that Wiles, among his two campaign supervisors, will be his White Home chief of personnel. While the specifics of her political views are somewhat uncertain, Wiles, 67, is credited with running a successful and efficient project. Fans hope she will instill a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Trump's very first four-year term, when he cycled through a number of chiefs of personnel.
TOM HOMAN, 'border czar' Trump announced on Sunday night that Homan, the previous performing director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement from his very first administration, will supervise of the country's borders.
Trump made cracking down on individuals in the country illegally a main aspect of his campaign, appealing mass deportations.
Homan said on Monday he would focus on deporting immigrants in the U.S. unlawfully who positioned safety and security risks in addition to those working at task websites.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, stated Homan will be in charge of our nation's borders ( The Border Czar),. consisting of, however not restricted to, the Southern Border, the Northern. Border, all Maritime, and Air Travel Security, including the. deportation of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
ELISE STEFANIK, U.N. ambassador. Trump announced on Monday that Stefanik, a Republican politician. congresswoman and staunch Trump supporter, would be his. ambassador to the United Nations.
Stefanik, 40, a U.S. agent from New York state and. Home Republican politician conference chair, took a management position in. the House of Representatives in 2021 when she was elected to. replace then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted for. criticizing Trump's incorrect claims of election scams.
I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve. in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Trump. said in a declaration. Elise is an incredibly strong, difficult, and. clever America First fighter.. Stefanik will reach the U.N. after vibrant guarantees by Trump to. end the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel's war in Gaza.
LEE ZELDIN, EPA administrator
Trump announced on Monday he had designated previous. congressman Lee Zeldin of New york city state as administrator of the. Environmental Protection Agency, and Zeldin said he had accepted. the function.
Zeldin, 44, a strong Trump ally, served in Congress from. 2015 to 2023. In 2022 he lost the New York governor's race to. Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul. Trump has assured to revamp U.S. energy policy, with the objective. of making the most of the country's already record-high oil and gas. production by rolling back regulations and accelerating. allowing.
As head of the EPA, Zeldin will play an essential role in. implementing those policies.
SCOTT BESSENT, potential treasury secretary. Bessent, an essential financial adviser to Trump, is extensively seen as a. leading candidate for treasury secretary. A long time hedge fund. investor who taught at Yale University for a number of years,. Bessent has a warm relationship with the president-elect.
While Bessent has actually long preferred the laissez-faire policies. that were popular in the pre-Trump Republican Party, he has likewise. spoken highly of Trump's use of tariffs as a negotiating tool. He has praised the president-elect's economic viewpoint, which. rests on an apprehension of both policies and worldwide. trade.
JOHN PAULSON, prospective treasury secretary
Paulson, a billionaire hedge fund manager and significant Trump. donor, is another leading competitor for treasury secretary. The. longtime financier has actually informed partners he would have an interest in. the task.
A longtime advocate of tax cuts and deregulation, Paulson's. profile is broadly comparable to that of other prospective members of. Trump's economic team. He has publicly supported targeted. tariffs as a tool to make sure U.S. national security and combat. unreasonable trade practices abroad. One high-profile fundraising event hosted by Paulson in April raked in. over $50 million for the former president.
LARRY KUDLOW, potential treasury secretary
Fox Service Network personality Larry Kudlow, who functioned as. director of the National Economic Council for much of Trump's. initially term, has an outside shot at becoming his treasury. secretary and would likely have an opportunity to take a. different economics-focused position if he is interested.
While he is privately hesitant of broad tariffs, there is. publicly little daylight in between the policies Kudlow supporters. and those of the president-elect.
ROBERT LIGHTHIZER, possible treasury secretary
A follower who functioned as Trump's U.S. trade representative. for essentially the then-president's entire term, Lighthizer. will likely be welcomed back. Though Bessent and. Paulson likely have a better chance at becoming treasury. secretary, Lighthizer has an outside opportunity, and he might be. able to reprise his old role if he's interested. Like Trump, Lighthizer is a trade doubter and a firm believer in. tariffs. He was one of the leading figures in Trump's trade war. with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free. Trade Contract, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada during Trump's. initially term.
HOWARD LUTNICK, prospective treasury secretary
The co-chair of Trump's transition effort and the longtime. president of monetary services firm Cantor Fitzgerald,. Lutnick remains in the running for treasury secretary.
A bombastic New Yorker like Trump, Lutnick has evenly. applauded the president-elect's economic policies, including his. usage of tariffs.
He has at times offered elaborate, unvarnished viewpoints about. what policies will be enacted in Trump's second term. Some Trump. allies had independently grumbled that he frequently provided. himself as speaking on behalf of the project.
LINDA McMAHON, potential commerce secretary. Professional wrestling magnate and previous Small Business. Administration director Linda McMahon is viewed as the frontrunner. to lead Trump's Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on. the plans said. McMahon is a significant donor and was an early supporter of the. Republican president-elect when he first ran for the White Home. practically a years earlier. This time, Trump tapped her to co-lead a. shift team formed to assist vet personnel and draft policy. ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional. battling franchise WWE. She later on served as director of the. Small Company Administration, resigning in 2019, and went on to. lead a pro-Trump political action committee that supported his. 2020 reelection quote.
RICHARD GRENELL, potential secretary of state. Grenell is amongst Trump's closest diplomacy advisors. Throughout. the president-elect's first four-year term, he worked as acting. director of nationwide intelligence and U.S. ambassador to. Germany. When Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr. Zelenskiy in September, Grenell sat in on the personal meeting.
Grenell's private negotiations with foreign leaders and. often-caustic character have actually made him the center of numerous. debates, though considerable Republican gains in the Senate. suggest he could likely be confirmed. He is also considered a top. competitor for national security advisor, which does not need. Senate verification. Among the policies he has actually promoted for is establishing an. self-governing zone in eastern Ukraine to end the war there, a. position Kyiv thinks about unacceptable.
ROBERT O'BRIEN, possible secretary of state
O'Brien, Trump's 4th and last national security advisor. throughout his very first term, maintains a close relationship with. Trump, and the 2 frequently speak on nationwide security matters. He is likely in the running for secretary of state or other top. diplomacy and nationwide security posts. He has preserved. close contacts with foreign leaders given that Trump left workplace,. having met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in. Israel in May.
His views are rather more hawkish than a few of Trump's. advisors. He has, for example, been more helpful of military. help for Ukraine than many of his Republican contemporaries, and. he is a proponent of banning TikTok in the United States.
COSTS HAGERTY, possible secretary of state
A U.S. senator from Tennessee who worked on Trump's 2016. transition effort, Hagerty is considered a leading competitor for. secretary of state. He has preserved solid relations with. essentially all factions of the Republican politician Party, and could. likely be verified with ease in the Senate.
He functioned as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the first Trump. administration at a time when the president promoted his warm. relationship with then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Hagerty's policies are broadly in line with Trump's. Previously in. the year, he voted versus a major military help bundle for. Ukraine.
MARCO RUBIO, potential secretary of state. Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida and 2016 Republican. presidential prospect, is also a leading secretary of state. contender whose policies hew closely to those of Trump. Like. Hagerty, he was a contender to be Trump's 2024 running mate.
Rubio has actually long been associated with foreign affairs in the. Senate, particularly as it connects to Latin America, and he has. solid relationships throughout the party.
MIKE WALTZ, prospective defense secretary. A previous Army Green Beret who is presently a U.S. congressman. from Florida, Waltz has actually established himself as one of the. primary China hawks in your house.
Among the various China-related bills he has co-sponsored. are steps created to minimize U.S. dependence on vital. minerals mined in China.
Waltz is on speaking terms with Trump and is commonly. thought about to be a major competitor for secretary of defense.
KEITH KELLOGG, potential candidate for national security. consultant
A retired lieutenant general who served as chief of personnel to. the National Security Council under Trump, Kellogg has Trump's. ear and is a competitor for national security advisor, among. other national security posts. Throughout the campaign, he provided Trump with a plan to end the. war in Ukraine, which involved requiring both celebrations to the. negotiating table and eliminating NATO membership for Ukraine for. the foreseeable future, to name a few procedures.
MARK GREEN, potential homeland security secretary
A former Army flight surgeon and the current chair of the. House Homeland Security Committee, Green is thought about by some. Trump allies in Washington as a contender for the leading job at the. Department of Homeland Security. His fans describe him as. a Trump follower and migration hardliner who also has. significant legal experience. Green was chosen by Trump throughout his very first term to act as. secretary of the Army, but he withdrew his name as past. statements, which were commonly viewed as transphobic and. Islamophobic, drew more examination.
CHAD WOLF, possible homeland security secretary
Wolf, who served as Trump's acting secretary of homeland. security for approximately 14 months during his first presidency, may. have a shot at heading back to DHS.
Wolf loyally carried out Trump's hardline immigration. policies, and he released federal representatives to Portland, Oregon, to. control protests throughout the riots that followed the murder of. George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer.
He might have some strikes versus him. He resigned on Jan. 11, 2021, just days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has actually revealed misgivings about bringing back those who. resigned in the last days of his term. Wolf, however, cited the. legal debate around his visit as DHS secretary -. rather than the Capitol attack - when he stepped down. Several. judges ruled that his appointment by Trump, which effectively. prevented the Senate, was illegal.
JOHN RATCLIFFE, possible CIA director
A former congressman and district attorney who worked as director. of national intelligence throughout Trump's in 2015 in office,. Ratcliffe is viewed as a leading competitor to be director of the. CIA, according to two people knowledgeable about the transition. process. Ratcliffe is likewise a possible attorney general choice. The president-elect's allies view Ratcliffe as a hardcore Trump. patriot who might likely win Senate verification. Still, during. his time as director of nationwide intelligence, Ratcliffe typically. contradicted the assessments of career civil servants, drawing. criticism from Democrats who said he politicized the role.
MIKE LEE, potential attorney general of the United States
A U.S. senator from Utah, Lee is extensively viewed as another top. candidate for chief law officer. Though the previous district attorney. decreased to vote for Trump during the 2016 election, he later. became an unwavering ally, and he has become something of an. intellectual hero amongst some factions of Trumpworld. Lee was an essential figure in attempts by Trump and his allies to. reverse his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, and has. spread unproven conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6, 2021,. attack on the Capitol.
KASH PATEL, potential candidate for nationwide security posts
A previous Republican politician Home staffer who served in numerous. high-ranking personnel functions in the defense and intelligence. neighborhoods throughout Trump's first term, Patel regularly appeared. on the project path to rally assistance for the candidate.
Some Trump allies wish to see Patel, thought about the. ultimate Trump patriot, appointed CIA director. Any position. needing Senate confirmation may be a difficulty, nevertheless.
Patel has leaned into controversy throughout his career. In. an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon in 2015, he guaranteed. to come after political leaders and journalists perceived to be. opponents of Trump.
Throughout the Trump's first term, Patel drew animosity from. some more skilled nationwide security authorities, who saw him. as unpredictable and too eager to please the then-president.
(source: Reuters)