Former Trump political adviser is now expected to be chosen as agriculture secretary

CNN
—

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday announced one of his former policy advisers, Brooke Rollins, as his pick for secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

“Brooke’s commitment to supporting the American farmer, the defense of American food self-sufficiency and the restoration of agriculture-dependent American small towns is unparalleled,” Trump said in a statement.

CNN reported earlier Saturday that Trump was expected to pick Rollins after he was initially poised to offer the position to businesswoman and former Georgia senator Kelly Loeffler.

CNN reported Friday that Trump was ready to offer the position to businesswoman and former Georgia senator Kelly Loeffler, who met with the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago on Friday afternoon. There had been several discussions between Loeffler and the transition team regarding the position. But Trump held off on announcing his agriculture pick as he aired a number of others Friday night, raising questions about whether Loeffler was ultimately offered the position.

Rollins is the executive director of the America First Policy Institute, a group with close ties to Trump’s transition team, and has been a vocal supporter of the president-elect.

Congratulating Trump after his election victory earlier this month, she said in a post on X: “We love you Mr. President and we are so proud to continue the fight for an America built around your America First vision.”

Rollins’ name had previously been floated as a potential White House chief of staff. But Rollins stepped down after it became clear that applying for the role would amount to a serious power struggle with Susie Wiles, who was ultimately named for the position.

Rollins told the transition team that agriculture secretary would be another role she would be interested in, a source familiar with the matter said. Trump and Rollins spoke this week about the role.

“As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will lead the effort to protect American farmers, who are truly the backbone of our country,” Trump said in his statement Saturday. “Congratulations Brook!”

During Trump’s first term, Rollins served as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Before that, she was president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, for 15 years.

This story has been updated with new reporting.