The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Doug Collins as secretary of veterans affairs on Feb. 4, 2025. The Senate voted 77-23 in favor of his nomination. This was the tenth member of President Donald Trump’s (R) Cabinet confirmed in his second presidential term. 

Trump announced on Nov. 14, 2024, that he had selected Collins as his nominee for secretary of veterans affairs. Trump said of Collins’ nomination, “We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need.” The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Collins on Jan. 21, 2025, and voted 18-1 to advance his nomination.

Collins received a bachelor’s degree from North Georgia College in 1988, a master of divinity degree from New Orleans Theological Seminary in 1996, and a law degree from John Marshall Law School in 2008. Before attending law school, Collins worked in sales for hazardous material safety products. After September 11, 2001, Collins became an Air Force Reserve chaplain. Collins first assumed elected office in 2007, representing District 27 in the Georgia House of Representatives. He was re-elected twice and served through 2013. In 2012, Collins ran to represent Georgia’s 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House, and was re-elected in 2014, 2016, and 2018. 

Looking just at the main 15 Cabinet secretaries who are in the line of presidential succession, and excluding other Cabinet-level positions, Collins was the eighth Cabinet secretary to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. At this point in Trump’s first term, four of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed.

At this point in the Biden administration, five of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed, and at this point in the Obama administration,12 of the main 15 Cabinet secretaries had been confirmed.

A presidential Cabinet is a group of senior federal officials who advise the president on the issues and activities of their respective agencies. The number of officials in a Cabinet can vary across presidential administrations. While not explicitly identified in the Constitution, the Cabinet secretaries are the 15 agency heads who are in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is also part of the Cabinet.

During Trump’s second term, the following offices are also Cabinet-rank positions: White House chief of staff, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. trade representative, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the director of National Intelligence, the administrator of the Small Business Administration, and the ambassador to the United Nations.