Trump offers hints about Cabinet picks for potential second term

With former President Donald Trump continuing to surge in the polls, attention is naturally turning to the individuals he may select to staff his administration in a potential second term, and as Just The News reports, a leading candidate to helm the Defense Department may already have emerged.

According to the outlet, Trump recently expressed great confidence in Christopher Miller, who served in an acting capacity during his first term in office.

Trump holds forth

The insights from Trump came during a Friday appearance on the Hugh Hewitt Show and came in response to a question from the host about who might lead the Pentagon if returns to the White House.

Trump mentioned Miller by name, saying, “I thought he was really good. I thought he was very good.”

Miller, for those who may not recall, was not Trump's first Defense secretary, as that title went to James Mattis, who left the post in 2019.

Mattis was succeeded by Mark Esper, who departed the role in 2020, and that is when Miller stepped in and served for the remainder of the president's term, apparently making a positive impression on Trump.

Other names in the mix

Hewitt broached the subject of potential candidates to run the Defense Department, and he listed a series of names that included Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) and others.

“Have you got, will you put out a list of people that you will put into the cabinet?” Hewitt asked?

Trump replied, “Yeah, that's a good list to start off with. That's, what you just said is a good list to start off with.”

“We have, it's such an important position,” he went on, adding, “You know, we had Miller at the end who did a very good job.”

Barr weighs in

Regardless of whom Trump taps to fill key administration roles in a potential second term, former Attorney General Bill Barr – a frequent and vehement critic of the former president – says that they should prepare themselves for their boss to continually push the boundaries of propriety, as The Hill explains.

“I think for people going into that administration, I think they have to be ready to oppose the abuse of government power,” Barr said, pulling no punches when it comes to his apparent disdain for the current GOP frontrunner.