President Donald Trump secured two more Cabinet confirmations on Thursday, including his pick to lead the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brooke Rollins.
Rollins was easily confirmed by the Senate shortly after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as Trump’s Health secretary.
Most recently, Rollins has served as president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute think tank, which she co-founded after Trump’s first term. In Trump’s first administration, she was his director of the Office of American Innovation and acting director of the Domestic Policy Council.
The newly elected president announced his selection of Rollins for USDA chief in November, recalling she did ‘an incredible job’ during his first term.
‘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,’ he said.
‘As our next Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American Farmers, who are truly the backbone of our Country. Congratulations Brooke!’
The USDA nominee had a hearing before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee last month, before advancing past the key hurdle.
The committee decision to move her nomination forward was unanimous, giving her bipartisan backing going into her confirmation vote.
Rollins is now the 16th Cabinet official confirmed to serve in Trump’s new administration. With the help of the Republican-led Senate, Trump has managed to confirm his picks at a pace far ahead of either his first administration or former President Joe Biden’s.
At the same point in his first term, Trump only had 11 confirmations and Biden had seven. Neither had 16 confirmed until March during their respective administrations.