President Donald Trump’s Cabinet In-Waiting

In his victory speech, President-elect Donald Trump praised some loyalists widely viewed as his cabinet-in-waiting.

Donald Trump’s aides had already circulated names of contenders in the final days of the White House race.

Here are some of the possible executive branch appointments being touted for Team Trump in the city of revolving doors.

Reince Priebus – Tipped as Chief of Staff

Reince Priebus, 44, is being widely tipped as Donald Trump’s White House aide.

As chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus was a bridge between Donald Trump and a party establishment that was embarrassed by its own presidential standard-bearer.

Reince Priebus is close to House Speaker Paul Ryan, a fellow Wisconsinite, who could be instrumental in steering the new administration’s legislative agenda.

Rudy Giuliani – Tipped as Attorney General

One of Donald Trump’s most ardent surrogates, the former NYC mayor is being mentioned for the post of America’s top prosecutor.

During 9/11, Mayor Rudy Giuliani became the face of the city’s resilience amid the rubble of the World Trade Center.

He also introduced NYPD’s stop-and-frisk policy, which critics said was a form of racial profiling.

Donald Trump, who ran as the law-and-order candidate, has championed the tactic.

Rudy Giuliani, a former New York prosecutor, ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.

Newt Gingrich – Tipped as Secretary of State

The 73-year-old former Georgia legislator, an early Trump supporter who made it on to the shortlist of running mates, has been tipped as America’s top diplomat.

As Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1994, Newt Gingrich masterminded the Republican wave election that won control of the chamber from Democrats.

Newt Gingrich quit the speakership because of ethics violations.

Michael Flynn – Tipped as National Security Adviser

Michael Flynn, a retired three-star US Army lieutenant general, helped Donald Trump connect with veterans despite the candidate’s lack of military service.

He claims he was forced out of his role as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012-2014 because of his views on radical Islam.

During the campaign, Michael Flynn pilloried the Obama administration’s approach to the threat posed by ISIS.

Steven Mnuchin – Tipped as Treasury Secretary

Donald Trump himself has named his finance chairman for the post of Treasury Secretary.

However, it’s unclear whether Donald Trump’s populist supporters would welcome the idea of handing the levers of national tax policy to a consummate Wall Street insider.

Steven Mnuchin amassed a fortune during his 17 years at Goldman Sachs, before founding a movie production company that was behind such box office hits as the X-Men franchise and American Sniper.

Chris Christie – Tipped as Commerce Secretary

After his own Republican presidential campaign foundered this year, the New Jersey governor promptly endorsed Donald Trump.

Chris Christie, 54, currently overseeing Donald Trump’s White House transition, has been mentioned for various posts in the administration, including commerce secretary.

He has been tainted by a scandal over the closure of a major bridge linking New Jersey and New York City, allegedly to punish a local mayor.

Since any presidential cabinet appointment must go before the Senate, confirmation could be problematic while this cloud hangs over him.

Jeff Sessions – Tipped as Defense Secretary

The 69-year-old Alabama senator is being touted as a possible Pentagon chief.

At his victory bash in New York, Donald Trump said of Jeff Sessions: “He is highly respected in Washington because he is as smart as you get.”

Jeff Sessions was a supporter of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, which Donald Trump recently called “a terrible and stupid thing”.

He sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Budget Committee.

The Trump campaign has declined to confirm cabinet speculation.