On January 3, in the early hours of the morning, U.S. President-elect Trump (Trump) announced the nominations for several key positions in the Treasury Department and ambassadors to two European countries on the Truth Social social media platform.
He appointed Ken Kies as Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy. He stated that Kies is a tax lawyer with 47 years of experience who has served as Chief of Staff for the Joint Committee on Taxation in Congress.
Alexandra Preate will serve as senior advisor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Trump stated that Preate has worked closely with former National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow, as well as his long-time economic advisors Dr. Arthur B. Laffer and Stephen Moore.
He named Hunter McMaster as Director of Policy Planning for the Treasury Department.
Trump chose Daniel Katz to serve as Chief of Staff at the Treasury Department. During Trump’s first term, Katz served as a senior advisor at the Treasury Department and is currently a senior researcher at the conservative think tank Manhattan Institute.
Katz’s deputies will be Samantha Schwab and Cora Alvi. Schwab previously served in the White House Legislative Affairs Office during Trump’s first term. Alvi was a Deputy National Finance Director for Trump’s presidential campaign.
Schwab is the granddaughter of billionaire Charles Schwab. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show that Charles Schwab made donations to several Republican candidates and political action committees (PACs) during the 2024 election cycle.
Trump praised the individuals who will be working in his administration’s Treasury Department as “incredible, hardworking patriots who will tirelessly strive to make America great again.”
Trump announced the selection of Cuban-American healthcare businessman Benjamin Leon Jr. as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain.
He mentioned that Leon came to the U.S. from Cuba at the age of 16 with only $5 in his pocket, later founding his own company and turning it into a successful healthcare corporation.
During the 2024 election cycle, Leon donated at least $2 million to Trump 47 Committee and the pro-Trump super PAC “Make America Great Again.”
Joe Popolo Jr. was appointed by Trump as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. He is the founder and CEO of the Dallas-based private investment firm Charles & Potomac Capital, LLC.
(This article is based on reporting from The Hill)