Donald Trump (R) announced on Nov. 23, 2024, that he had selected Brooke Rollins as his nominee for secretary of Agriculture. This position requires Senate confirmation. In a statement, Trump said, “Brooke’s commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns is second to none.”
Rollins works as the president and chief executive officer of the America First Policy Institute, a non-profit founded by former Trump advisors. Rollins attended Texas A&M University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture development. She received a law degree from the University of Texas, and spent several years as a litigator with Hughes & Luce, L.L.P., in Dallas, Texas, focusing primarily on complex commercial litigation. Rollins is the former president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a free market public policy think tank, and formerly served as Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) deputy general counsel. During Trump’s first term, Rollins was the head of President Trump’s Domestic Policy Council and an assistant to the president in the Office of American Innovation.
Rollins was Trump’s 21st announced Cabinet nominee. Trump made the announcement 18 days after election day, the fastest announcement for an Agriculture secretary nominee across the last four presidential transitions. In 2016, Trump announced his pick for the position 72 days after election day. President Joe Biden (D) announced his Agriculture secretary pick 37 days after the 2020 election, and former President Barack Obama (D) announced his Agriculture secretary pick 43 days after election day.
As of Nov. 24, 2024, 19 days after election day, Trump has announced 21 Cabinet-level nominees so far. At this point after election day, Biden had announced one Cabinet-level position in 2020, Trump had announced five in 2016, and Obama had announced one in 2008.
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