Who will be in the cabinet if Kamala Harris becomes President?

US Vice President Kamala Harris has been officially approved as the Democratic Party's candidate for the upcoming November election and is gaining some support from voters in many polls. An important question being asked is who will be in her cabinet if she is elected?

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz launch their campaign in Philadelphia. (Source: Reuters)

On August 22, during cocktail parties and private discussions on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention taking place from August 19-22 in Illinois and Chicago, US officials were trying to find the answer to a crucial question: Who will Kamala Harris choose to put in her Cabinet if she wins the election?

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) compiled an early list of prominent candidates based on conversations with senior Democratic officials in Chicago and Washington. The list shows that Ms. Harris wants to build her own team and that many current senior officials in the Biden administration may not be present in the White House next term if candidate Harris wins.

Who will enter the White House?

Chief of Staff is one of the most important positions in the White House. Potential candidates for this position, according to WSJ, include Minyon Moore, a Harris ally who organized and ran the Democratic Convention this week. In addition, former Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, a friend of Harris when the two worked together in the Biden administration, and other figures such as former Congressman Cedric Richmond, Lorraine Voles - Harris's current chief of staff and Eric Holder, former Attorney General under Obama are also possible candidates to become White House chief of staff.

The economic minds that Ms. Harris has placed her trust in include: Former Treasury official Brian Nelson; Mike Pyle - former assistant to Ms. Harris and also former Deputy National Security Advisor for Economic Affairs under Biden. Gene Sperling - former economic adviser to Biden, Deanne Millison, former chief economic adviser to Harris and Rohini Kosoglu, former domestic policy adviser to Harris could also be considered.

All of these people are considered candidates for positions in the Harris administration.

Nelson, Pyle, and Millison could be picked as director of the National Economic Council (NEC), or another candidate could be former Deputy NEC Director Bharat Ramamurti, who worked with Vice President Harris on student loan forgiveness. Other contenders to head the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) include Kosoglu and Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council.

Emmy Ruiz, a former adviser to Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign and now a senior political strategist at the White House, is also expected to take a senior position at the White House if Ms. Harris wins.

Domestic and economic

For Treasury Secretary, Harris could consider Wally Adeyemo, the current Undersecretary at the department; or Nelson. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is also considered a candidate for Treasury Secretary, while her current deputy, Don Graves, could be a potential candidate for Commerce Secretary.

If confirmed, Ms. Raimondo could have an easier time getting confirmed in the Senate, as she has the support of several Republican senators. Democratic senator Laphonza Butler, head of California's largest health care workers union, is considered a potential candidate for the position of Secretary of Labor.

Neera Tanden, Director of the DPC in the Biden administration, has emerged as the leading candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kavita Patel, a physician and former White House official under President Obama, could be a candidate for a senior position at HHS. Another possible candidate for the White House Physician is Nadine Burke Harris, a former California state physician.

As Vice President, Kamala Harris has cultivated relationships with CEOs and business leaders, regularly hosting private dinners with business guests at her private residence, the Naval Observatory. She could select some of them for positions in her administration, though advisers say Harris has not yet made any decisions.

Internal discussions within Democratic circles have suggested that Blair Efron, a Wall Street financier and co-founder of investment bank Centerview Partners, is a likely candidate for Treasury or Commerce secretary. Harris also has close ties to former CEO Charles Phillips, co-chair of the Black Economic Alliance; Microsoft President Brad Smith; and former American Express CEO Ken Chenault. Chenault himself appeared and spoke at the Democratic National Convention this week, fueling speculation that he could be in line for a senior position in the administration if Harris wins.

Justice, Legal Adviser and National Security

A former prosecutor, Kamala Harris is likely to be excited about the appointment of a lawyer as Attorney General and the White House Office of Legal Counsel.

Potential candidates for these two positions include: Former Senator Doug Jones; former Deputy Attorney General under Barack Obama Sally Yates and Vanita Gupa – the first woman of color to hold a senior position at the Justice Department.

Other potential candidates for senior roles at the Justice Department and the White House Office of Legal Counsel include Kristine Lucius, an adviser to Harris and former chief counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee; lawyer Karen Dunn, who has helped Harris prepare for debates; and Josh Hsu, a former adviser to Harris.

Advisers to both Biden and Harris say at least some current national security officials will get prominent positions. But Harris herself may want to pick her own people. Phil Gordon, Harris’s national security adviser, has emerged as a strong contender for a key White House job if Harris wins.

Current and former officials say Gordon, a Middle East and Europe expert, has done a good job advising the vice president, helping Harris's office connect closely with President Biden's team of advisers and aides. Gordon has participated in several recent meetings in the White House Situation Room, discussing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations and the possibility of an Iranian attack on Israel.

Who will be the Secretary of State?

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is considered a candidate for Secretary of State. Mr. Chris Murphy and Ms. Harris have shared similar views on many issues during their time working together in the Senate, especially the effort to end the war in Yemen. The two have continued to maintain regular communication.

Tom Nides, who previously held a top State Department post and served as US ambassador to Israel, is also a likely candidate for the important national security post. CIA Director William Burns could also be picked as secretary of state, suggesting Harris wants a connection to the previous Joe Biden administration.

Senator Chris Coons, a close friend of Mr. Biden, is considered the leading face for the position of Secretary of State, but it is not clear whether Ms. Harris will choose him for the position.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will no longer serve in their current roles in the new administration led by Kamala Harris, according to current and former White House officials.

The Defense Secretary is the most uncertain post. Senators Jack Reed and Michèle Flournoy have been mentioned for years as candidates for the job. But it’s unclear whether Harris is even considering them. Christine Wormuth, the US Army secretary, could also be a possibility.

But all of that is just a prediction, including whether Vice President Kamala Harris will become the first female President of the United States or not!

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/nhung-ai-se-co-mat-trong-noi-cac-neu-ba-kamala-harris-tro-thanh-tong-thong-283865.html