John Ratcliffe, who served as President-elect Trump’s principal intelligence advisor during his first presidential term, will serve as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency when Trump moves back into the White House.  

Ratcliffe is one of several appointees announced in the past week who will fill key positions during Trump’s second term. 

‘From exposing fake Russian collusion to be a Clinton campaign operation, to catching the FBI’s abuse of Civil Liberties at the FISA Court, John Ratcliffe has always been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public,’ Trump said in a statement. ‘When 51 intelligence officials were lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop, there was one, John Ratcliffe, telling the truth to the American People.’

Trump honored Ratcliffe in 2020 with the National Security Medal, the highest honor for distinguished achievement in the field of intelligence and national security.

Ratcliffe previously served under Trump as Director of National Intelligence (DNI). 

‘In that role, Ratcliffe served as the leader of the U.S. intelligence community and principal intelligence advisor to President Trump. Before that role, Ratcliffe served in Congress for over five years as the U.S. representative for the 4th Congressional District of Texas.

William McGinley is returning to the Trump White House to serve as his White House Counsel, President-elect Trump announced.

‘I am pleased to announce that William Joseph McGinley will serve as my White House Counsel,’ the appointment announcement noted. ‘Bill is a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda while fighting or election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.’

The White House Counsel typically plays a key behind-the-scenes role in vetting Supreme Court candidates and nominees.

Having already picked three Supreme Court justices in his first term, Trump will have appointed a majority of the court if he lands two more in his second term.

McGinley served in the first administration for Trump as the White House Cabinet secretary as well as serving as General Counsel at the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 

Prior to his political appointments, he was a partner at two international law firms.

Fox News’ William Mears Jr. contributed to this report.

President-elect Trump has appointed a longtime ally, New York businessman Steven Witkoff, as his Special Envoy to the Middle East.

Witkoff is a real estate investor, landlord, and the founder of the Witkoff Group, which he started in 1977.

In his announcement, Trump said that Witkoff would be an ‘unrelenting Voice for PEACE’ in the highly-contentious region.

‘Steve is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy, who has made every project and community he has been involved with stronger and more prosperous,’ the announcement on Tuesday evening said. ‘Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.’

Justice Samuel Alito has no plans to retire from the Supreme Court anytime soon, a source close to the justice told the Wall Street Journal, halting a flurry of speculation among some Republican leaders that Alito, 74, could vacate the bench to make room for a younger, more conservative jurist.

Rumors about Alito’s retirement began swirling almost immediately after Trump’s victory in the 2024 election, which also saw Republicans set to take back control of the Senate and retain control of the House in January.

With no filibuster allowed on Supreme Court appointments, the GOP majority would allow Trump to face little if any resistance in confirming his picks for high court justices, should the court’s two oldest conservative justices, Alito and Clarence Thomas, retire.

Alito, for his part, has made clear he has no plans to do so. 

‘Despite what some people may think, this is a man who has never thought about this job from a political perspective,’ a person close to Alito told the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news of his intention to remain on the bench. 

‘The idea that he’s going to retire for political considerations is not consistent with who he is,’ this person added.

Alito was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2006 by President George W. Bush. 

At 74, Alito is the second-oldest justice on the bench behind Justice Clarence Thomas, 76, who was appointed to the court by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. Sonia Sotomayor, appointed by President Obama in 2009, is 70.

But pressure for Alito and Thomas to step aside to make way for younger, Trump-picked candidates could prove to be deeply polarizing at a time when public approval of the Supreme Court is in the mid 40s, according to a Gallup survey in September.

Conservatives currently hold a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court. Trump named three justices to the Supreme Court during his first term, preserving its conservative majority. President Biden, for his part, most recently named Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the court in 2022 after the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer.

If Alito and Thomas were to retire from the bench, Trump could become the first president since Eisenhower, also a Republican, to name a majority of the justices of the Supreme Court.

Despite his own isolationist musings, the first picks of President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration hail from a decidedly more traditionalist wing of the Republican Party.

On Tuesday, Trump formally announced that Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., would be his national security adviser. Sources have said Trump is set on tapping Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for secretary of state.

Together with New York Rep. Elise Stefanik — set for the role of ambassador to the United Nations — the trio is expected to further a staunchly pro-Israel agenda.

Ukrainian advocates are also somewhat relieved. 

‘Kyiv looks at these appointments with some quiet relief — they clearly know there’s room for engagement,’ one source familiar with Ukrainian operations told Fox News Digital. They added that after a Biden administration that they believe has been overly fearful of escalating U.S. involvement in the war with Russia, ‘a not insignificant number of senior Ukrainian officials are cautiously optimistic about what a change of pace might look like. 

Waltz, who once served as a counterterrorism adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney, is widely regarded as a hawk on China and Iran. He was vociferously opposed to President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. 

‘What no one can ever do for me, including this administration right now, is articulate a counterterrorism plan that’s realistic without us there,’ Waltz said in an interview days after the withdrawal. 

The former Army Green Beret officer and ex-CEO of a defense contracting company introduced legislation during the first Trump administration that would have prevented a mass troop drawdown in Afghanistan unless the director of national intelligence certified that the Taliban would not associate with al-Qaeda. 

‘I think we’re in for a long haul and I think our nation’s leadership needs to begin telling the American people, ‘I’m sorry. We don’t have a choice. We’re 15 years into what is going to be a multi-generational war because we’re talking about defeating an idea,” Waltz said about Afghanistan at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2017.

Waltz voted for keeping the Iraq War Authorization on the books in 2021 and voted against ending U.S. support for the Saudi war in Yemen. 

In an interview with NPR last week, Waltz said the war between Russia and Ukraine can end if the U.S. applies some leverage. 

Russia’s ‘war machine will dry up very quickly’ with U.S. economic sanctions, Waltz said, as well as ‘taking the handcuffs off of the long-range weapons we provided Ukraine.’ Biden has long refused to allow Ukraine to use U.S. weapons to strike deep inside Russia. 

Last month, when Israel conducted a counterstrike on Iran’s military targets, Waltz bemoaned that it hadn’t gone after Iran’s oil and nuclear facilities. ‘Did Biden/Harris pressure Israel once again to do less than it should?’ he questioned. 

Rubio, meanwhile, is a noted hawk on China, Iran and Venezuela, where he has been working to unseat dictator Nicolas Maduro. 

Rubio, at one time, supported U.S. aid to Ukraine, but when the matter came up again earlier this year, he was one of 15 Republicans to vote against a supplemental funding package, citing insufficient border provisions. 

He’s been a strong proponent of U.S. support for Taiwan. When Trump raised concerns about the U.S.’s support for Taiwan and suggested the island should pay the U.S. for its defense, Rubio predicted Trump would ‘continue to support Taiwan’ if he reclaimed the White House.

Like Trump, both Waltz and Rubio have been critical of NATO allies for not spending enough on defense. Rubio has insisted Europe should ‘take the lead’ on its defense: ‘Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are more than capable of managing their relationship with the nuclear-armed belligerent to their east. But they’ll never take ownership so long as they can rely on America.’

Rubio cosponsored legislation last year that would bar any president from pulling the U.S. from NATO without congressional approval, a measure that was seen as a precaution if Trump were to win the presidency and follow through with his frequent threats to abandon the alliance.

His pick triggered some backlash from some Trump die-hards who view him as too hawkish. 

‘Apparently there hasn’t been a SOS pick yet FYSA [for your situational awareness],’ posted Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) late Monday on X, after news outlets began reporting Trump had settled on Rubio. 

Libertarian-minded comedian Dave Smith said Tuesday that Rubio is ‘a disaster.’

‘Might as well give Liz Cheney the State Department,’ Smith wrote. ‘Awful sign.’

Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that Waltz and Rubio signal ‘above all, a hard line toward China not only on economics but across the board — on political, military, and ideological competition.’ 

‘The picks leave me wondering whether Trump will deliver on his sometimes restrained foreign policy promises, including his stated desire to end the war in Ukraine sooner rather than later and to see Israel wrap up its wars,’ he said. ‘I’m getting flashbacks to the first Trump administration.’

But, he added, ‘Rubio is no longer quite the Rubio many remember from 2016.’ 

‘Rubio seems to understand that the United States faces resource constraints and needs to set strategic priorities in an increasingly competitive world.’

And some restraint-minded thinkers hold out cautious optimism. 

‘If [Rubio] channels Trump’s approach rather than pursuing his own agenda, he could redefine the state department’s role in a way that is both respected and effective abroad. Rubio knows that his future prospects are tied to his ability to execute Trump’s policy, not personal ambitions,’ said Jason Beardsley, senior coalitions adviser for Concerned Veterans for America. 

‘Having worked closely with Waltz, I can vouch for his deep understanding of America’s strategic priorities. He’s passionate about reforming the DoD from within and ensuring national security without overextending our military in costly, unnecessary engagements.’

Since winning the election last week, President-elect Trump has begun evaluating and rolling out his Cabinet picks, with dozens of people jockeying for about two dozen of the highest-level positions in government. 

So far, Trump has only confirmed three names, though others have been leaked to the media. 

Here’s a roundup of who will join Trump’s Cabinet: 

Publicly announced

Chief of Staff – Susie Wiles

Wiles has been widely lauded for heading Trump’s successful campaign this year, having run Trump’s campaign operations in Florida in 2016 and 2020. She maintained close ties with the president-elect throughout the Biden administration and signed on as CEO of Trump’s Save America PAC in 2021. 

‘Susie is tough, smart, innovative and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,’ Trump said in a statement. 

United Nations Ambassador – Elise Stefanik

The New York Republican representative and current House GOP Conference Chair has been an attack dog for Trump in Congress. She is a staunch supporter of Israel, having made headlines for her combative lines of questioning of Ivy League university presidents over their handling of anti-Israel protests, some of which prompted the presidents to resign.

National Security Advisor – Michael Waltz 

On Tuesday, Trump announced the Florida Republican representative and former Army Green Beret would be his national security adviser. He’s decidedly a hawk on China and Iran. 

‘Mike retired as a Colonel, and is a nationally recognized leader in National Security, a bestselling author, and an expert on the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and global terrorism,’ Trump said in a statement. 

‘Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda, and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!’

Israel Ambassador – Mike Huckabee 

Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, is a staunch supporter of Israel, prompted by his evangelical faith. 

‘Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years. He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him’, a statement attached to Trump’s Truth Social post said. ‘Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!’

EPA Administrator – Lee Zeldin 

Zeldin, a former House Republican from New York, had a notably strong, but unsuccessful, showing in the race for governor against Kathy Hochul in 2022. During that race, he called for New York to lift its ban on fracking. He also lost his House race for re-election in 2022 but has maintained ties with the Trump team. 

Likely picks 

Secretary of State – Marco Rubio

Sources tell Fox News Trump has settled on Rubio, another Iran and China hawk, to run the State Department. Rubio, a Republican from Florida and top GOP member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, ran for president in 2016 when he and Trump traded barbs, with Trump calling him ‘little Marco.’ 

It’s all seemingly water under the bridge now. Rubio was reportedly on a short list for VP picks earlier this year. 

Non-Cabinet picks 

‘Border Czar’ – Tom Homan 

Homan, the former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was an architect of Trump’s zero-tolerance policy during his first administration, one that led to backlash from family separations at the border. 

Homan has served under six administrations and presidents in both parties, dating back to the Reagan era, as a rank-and-file Border Patrol agent. He was appointed to the position of executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE under President Obama.

While serving at a ‘czar’ level rather than in an official Cabinet position, Homan will be in charge of ‘the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,’ Trump announced on Truth Social. 

‘I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,’ Trump wrote. ‘Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job.’

President-elect Trump has hit the ground running on filling out his potential future cabinet, announcing names for key positions well before he did following his 2016 election win.

Trump has announced six Cabinet picks in the week since winning the election, most recently tapping Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., to serve as his national security adviser.

‘Mike is the first Green Beret to have been elected to Congress, and previously served in the White House and Pentagon. Mike served in the Army Special Forces for 27 years where he was deployed multiple times in combat for which he was awarded four Bronze Stars, including two with Valor,’ Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday when announcing the selection.

The announcement for Waltz came just a week after Election Day and well before Trump tapped former Army Gen. Mike Flynn to fill the same position after the 2016 election, having announced Flynn on Nov. 18, 10 days after the election.

Trump has also made a quick announcement with his pick of Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The president-elect made that announcement on Nov. 11, nearly two weeks earlier than his Nov. 23 announcement in 2016 of then-Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina to fill that role. Haley went on to run unsuccessfully in 2024 for the GOP presidential nomination.

‘I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter,’ Trump said in a statement following the pick of Stefanik.

Two days earlier via a Truth Social post, Trump said of Haley that he would ‘not be inviting’ her to join the new administration, although he added he ‘very much enjoyed and appreciated working with’ her.

Joining the flurry of Nov. 11 announcements was former New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, a pick Trump didn’t make until Dec. 7, 2016, when he tapped Scott Pruitt to serve in the role.

‘He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,’ Trump said in a statement on the Zeldin selection. ‘He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way.’

Zeldin ran unsuccessfully for New York governor in 2022, losing to Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, but receiving praise from Republicans for a valiant effort that helped Republicans in the midterms. 

‘Lee Zeldin probably helped save the House by bringing four new Republican congressmen-elect across the finish line,’ wrote Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., in a Nov. 14, 2022 Facebook post. ‘We owe him a lot.’

Trump also moved swiftly to announce longtime adviser Susie Wiles would serve as his chief of staff on Nov. 6, the day after the election. In 2016, Trump announced his choice of Reince Priebus for chief of staff on Nov. 13, five days after his victory at the polls.

‘Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected. Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again. It is a well deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history. I have no doubt that she will make our country proud,’ Trump said after the selection of Wiles.

Joining the group in the administration will be longtime Trump adviser Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy and former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan, who has served under six administrations and for presidents of both parties dating back to former President Ronald Reagan and will serve the Trump administration as ‘border czar.’

‘I’ve known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders. Likewise, Tom Homan will be in charge of all Deportation of Illegal Aliens back to their Country of Origin. Congratulations to Tom. I have no doubt he will do a fantastic, and long awaited for, job,’ Trump said of Homan, who was the executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE under former President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is reported to be in line to serve as secretary of state, while North Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is reported to be Trump’s pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, though Trump has yet to make either selection official.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

The Biden administration will support a U.N. treaty this week that will create a new cybercrime convention that includes China and Russia — which has not sat well with some lawmakers and critics. 

Since 2001, the global governance around cybercrime has largely been coordinated by the Budapest Convention, a product of the Council of Europe that includes 76 countries. It does not include Russia or China. However, under the U.N.’s new cybercrime convention, these two adversarial nations will be welcomed into the global cybercrime governance fold.  

The move, confirmed by top officials familiar with the issue, has been met with concern from those who fear that a new global alliance on cybersecurity involving two of the nation’s most adversarial nations could spell trouble.

‘We recognize that defending human rights and core principles of internet freedom is not easy,’ a group of Democratic lawmakers on the Hill wrote last week to top officials in the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, Jake Sullivan. ‘Russia, China and other regimes opposed to democratic freedoms are always working to create international legitimacy for their actions and worldview … Unfortunately, these efforts – while laudable – are insufficient to fix fundamental flaws in the convention.’

The decision to support the new treaty came after months of deliberations between the Biden administration and others, including hundreds of nongovernmental entities involved in human rights and other relevant issues. According to a senior administration official, the U.S. ‘decided to remain with consensus,’ arguing the U.S.’s sway on global ‘rights-respecting’ cybersecurity policy will be greater under the new convention.

To help address concerns that have been raised about the convention, the Biden administration plans to develop a risk management plan and will engage with nongovernmental stakeholders to help refine it. 

A ‘consensus proceeding’ took place Monday, and the resolution was approved without a vote. According to Politico, it is expected to be adopted by the General Assembly later this year. 

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would be nominating New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the next U.N. ambassador in his administration.

The White House declined to comment on the record for this story.