President-elect Donald Trump greets Kansas Secretary of State, Kris Kobach, as he arrive at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster clubhouse on Sunday in Bedminster, N.J. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Trump Team Won’t Say Whether New Administration Will Cut or Close Any Federal Agencies
Spokesman also announced landing team leaders who will meet with several agencies.
A spokesman for President-elect Donald Trump on Monday would not say whether the incoming administration had plans to cut or close any federal agencies.
“There is plenty of time to talk about that after he is sworn in,” said Jason Miller, communications director for the Trump transition team, when asked during a briefing with reporters whether Trump planned to decrease or shutter any federal agencies. “We are really preparing for what we are going to do on Day One,” Miller said.
Trump has proposed implementing a federal hiring freeze, but it’s unclear at this point whether such a freeze would be governmentwide, or targeted at certain agencies. Over the weekend, Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence met with several potential appointees and advisers, including Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, with whom they discussed “border security, international terrorism, and reforming federal bureaucracy,” according to a readout of the meetings from the transition team. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., on Monday during an interview on CNN floated the idea of folding the Environmental Protection Agency into the Energy Department.
Trump and Pence also planned to meet with National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd and National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council President Chris Crane. Both unions endorsed Trump during the campaign.
The incoming administration plans to release a video on Monday outlining its legislative priorities regarding several issues, including trade; the Trans-Pacific Partnership; regulations; defending American infrastructure against cyber attacks; and immigration. During Monday’s call with reporters, Miller announced the domestic issues landing team leads, whose names will be sent over to the White House this afternoon. They are:
- Agriculture: Joel Leftwich
- Education: James Manning
- Energy: Thomas Pyle
- EPA: Myron Ebell
- Health and Human Services: Andrew Bremberg and Paula Stannard
- Homeland Security: James Carafano and Michael Dougherty
- Housing and Urban Development: Elliot Burke
- Intelligence: Jeffrey Kahn
- Interior: Douglas Domenech
- Labor: Jane Norris
- Transportation: Nancy Butler
- Veterans Affairs: Michael Meese
Miller said he did not anticipate any imminent announcements regarding candidates for major positions.