Trump’s transition is far more organized than 2016
Donald Trump is leaning on many of the people who served in top positions in his first administration to help prepare an aggressive set of policies he plans to pursue right out of the gate. The result is an administration that will be better prepared than in 2016 to implement Trump’s priorities soon after the inauguration — especially on core agenda items like trade and tariffs.
The Trump transition is formally being led by former Trump Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon, who is handling the policy side, and billionaire financier Howard Lutnick, who is overseeing the personnel vetting. Lutnick, one of the few members of the team who did not work for Trump’s White House, has been the public face of the operation thus far, while drawing scrutiny for his potential conflicts of interest and combative appearances on cable news.
The policy preparations have been far lower-profile — by design, given the backlash the conservative Heritage Foundation attracted for its Project 2025 blueprint for a second Trump administration. But behind the scenes, the Trump transition is leaning on a diffuse roster of former Trump administration officials, according to conversations with 16 people familiar with Trump transition planning, who were granted anonymity to discuss confidential operations.
A small sample includes:
- U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who is crafting trade and economic plans, along with Jamieson Greer, Lighthizer’s former chief of staff
- Special envoy for Iran Brian Hook, who is involved with preparing a Trump State Department
- Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, who is involved with national security personnel and policy planning
- Office of Management and Budget general counsel Mark Paoletta, who is helping craft the policy playbook for the Justice Department
- Interior Secretary David Bernhardt
A former Trump administration official with knowledge of the discussions said transition officials are mindful of the lessons from the 2016 transition, and are keen to avoid the same turmoil. “They’re being more confidential about it. ... They don’t want distractions and personnel stories popping up.”
The Trump transition did not respond to requests for comment.
Another person familiar with transition policy planning confirmed Lighthizer is crafting economic policy for the Treasury Department, the National Economic Council, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, as is former Trump speechwriter Vince Haley, who is also working for the Trump campaign. Those figures are preparing an aggressive trade agenda for the first 100 days, which will likely include some executive action on tariffs, though the details are still being debated.
Lighthizer is also expected to assume a top economic role in the Trump administration.
“There’s one policy area that’s going to be defining for the second Trump administration, and that’s tariffs,” said the person with direct knowledge of policy planning. “And there’s a very small group of people working on that and it’s the most important part of the policy planning for the second administration.”