US cabinet hopefuls in the frame for Trump seal of approval

President-elect Donald Trump, working to fill administration positions ahead of his inauguration on January 20th, was scheduled to hold talks in New York on Monday with former Texas Governor Rick Perry who is being considered for cabinet posts including defence, energy and veterans affairs.

Mr Trump met with aides and contenders for top US posts over the weekend at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, including with Mitt Romney, who was a fierce Trump critic during the presidential campaign and who is now under consideration for secretary of state.

Below are people mentioned as contenders for senior roles. See end of list for posts already filled.

Treasury Secretary

• Steven Mnuchin, former Goldman Sachs Group executive and Trump's campaign finance chairman.
• Jeb Hensarling, US representative from Texas and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.
• Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co chief executive officer.
• Tom Barrack, founder and chairman of Colony Capital.
• Jonathan Gray, global head of real estate at the Blackstone Group.

Secretary of state

• Mitt Romney, 2012 presidential nominee and former Massachusetts governor.
• Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City.
• Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina.
• John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations under president George W Bush.
• Bob Corker, US senator from Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
• Zalmay Khalilzad, former US ambassador to Iraq.

Defence Secretary

• James Mattis, retired Marine Corps general.
• David Petraeus, ex-CIA director and retired general.
• Tom Cotton, US senator from Arkansas.
• Jon Kyl, former US senator from Arizona.
• Duncan Hunter, US representative from California and early Trump supporter, member of the House Armed Services Committee.
• Jim Talent, former US senator from Missouri who was on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• Kelly Ayotte, outgoing US senator from New Hampshire and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• Rick Perry, former Texas governor.

Health and Human Services Secretary

• Tom Price, US representative from Georgia who is an orthopedic surgeon.
• Rick Scott, Florida governor.
• Rich Bagger, former pharmaceutical executive and former top aide to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
• Bobby Jindal, former Louisiana governor.

Homeland Security Secretary

• Michael McCaul, US representative from Texas and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
• David Clarke, Milwaukee county sheriff and vocal Trump supporter.
• Joe Arpaio, outgoing Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff who campaigned for Trump.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator

• Jeff Holmstead, energy lawyer, former EPA official during George W Bush administration.
• Robert Grady, venture capitalist, partner in private equity firm Gryphon Investors.
• Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas attorney general.
• Carol Comer, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Energy Secretary

• Harold Hamm, Oklahoma oil and gas mogul, chief executive of Continental Resources.
• Kevin Cramer, US representative from North Dakota.
• Robert Grady, venture capitalist, partner in private equity firm Gryphon Investors.
• Larry Nichols, co-founder of Devon Energy Corp.
• James Connaughton, chief executive of Nautilus Data Technologies and a former environmental adviser to President George W Bush.
• Rick Perry, former Texas governor.

Interior Secretary

• Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor, 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee
• Jan Brewer, former Arizona governor.
• Forrest Lucas, founder of oil products company Lucas Oil.
• Harold Hamm, Oklahoma oil and gas mogul, chief executive of Continental Resources.
• Robert Grady, venture capitalist, partner in private equity firm Gryphon Investors.
• Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Governor.

Commerce Secretary

• Wilbur Ross, billionaire investor, chairman of Invesco Ltd subsidiary WL Ross & Co.
• Linda McMahon, former World Wrestling Entertainment executive and two-time Senate candidate.

Director of National Intelligence

• Ronald Burgess, retired lieutenant general and former Defense Intelligence Agency chief.
• Robert Cardillo, director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
• Pete Hoekstra, former US representative from Michigan.

United Nations Ambassador

• Kelly Ayotte, outgoing US senator from New Hampshire and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• Richard Grenell, former spokesman for the United States at the United Nations.
• Peter King, US representative from New York.

US Trade Representative

• Dan DiMicco, former chief executive of steel producer Nucor Corp.

Labor Secretary

• Victoria Lipnic, US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission commissioner and former Labor Department official during the George W Bush administration.
• Andrew Puzder, chief executive officer of CKE Restaurants.

Supreme Court Vacancy

The Trump transition team confirmed he would choose from a list of 21 names he drew up during his campaign, including US Senator Mike Lee of Utah, and William Pryor, a federal judge with the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Posts already filled

White House chief of staff

• Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus.

Chief White House strategist and Senior Counsellor

• Steve Bannon, former head of the conservative website Breitbart News.

Attorney General

• Jeff Sessions, Republican senator and senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee (subject to Senate confirmation).

Central Intelligence Agency Director

• Republican US Representative Mike Pompeo (subject to Senate confirmation).

National Security Adviser

• Michael Flynn, retired Army lieutenant general and former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.