The president named the acting secretaries of defense, state, homeland security, and more.
President Donald Trump issued a statement on Monday designating acting leaders of federal agencies and offices and took his first executive actions, including flying the flag full-staff at all government buildings until the end of Inauguration Day.
The statement names officials to lead federal agencies in an acting capacity. The agencies include the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and more.
Trump’s nominees to lead those agencies—Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for HHS, Pete Hegseth for Defense, Pam Bondi for DOJ, Kristi Noem for DHS, and others—are awaiting confirmation from the Republican-controlled Senate.
Until then, Trump named Robert Salesses as acting secretary of defense, career civil servant Dorothy Fink for HHS, Benjamine Huffman for DHS, James McHenry for attorney general, Lisa Kenna for secretary of state, David Lebryk for Treasury, Caleb Vitello as acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and more than a dozen others to lead various federal departments.
“Pursuant to the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., I hereby direct the following individuals to perform the functions and duties of the indicated positions in an acting capacity until the position is filled by appointment,” he wrote in a statement on the White House website.
Senate hearings to confirm Trump’s nominations started earlier this month.
Other early orders issued by Trump on Monday included a declaration that the American flag will be lowered “upon the end of this Inauguration Day” for the remainder of a 30-day mourning period to honor the late former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024. That period will last until Jan. 28.
“I also direct that, for the same period of time, the flag shall be flown at full-staff at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”
