Trump VP speculations abound, but who else will fill a second administration?

With presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump expected to end speculation in the coming days about who'll be his running mate, another popular American parlor game – who might fill cabinet posts and other top administration positions – is now emerging. 

Should Trump return to the White House, some cabinet members from his first administration could resume their posts.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was among the few who served the entire first term and in March suggested he was open to returning to the job. 

“I have seen him recently and given him a bunch of views on the economy and some strategy issues,” Mnuchin said, according to Business Insider. “If the president called me up down the road, of course I would have to take that call and consider it, but it’s my current focus to build out this business.”

Trump has further maintained strong relations with former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson since leaving the White House. The Republican Party’s embrace of a Trump-driven platform with an entire chapter dedicated to cost of living, moreover, suggests that Trump’s choice of HUD secretary may play a pivotal role in the next administration.

Vice President

Trump has kept his choice of running mate close to the vest, and it remains unclear when he plans to announce his selection, though Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller said this week "we will know" by Monday.

Among the apparent finalists for the post are Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. But Trump’s latest comments suggest he has reservations about the first two.

Of concern to Trump are Burgum’s signing of a strict abortion ban in North Dakota and Rubio’s status as the senator from Florida, where Trump resides.

"You know, I think Doug is great. But it is a strong – he’s taken a very strong stance. Or the state has, I don’t know if it’s Doug, but the state has, so it’s an issue," Trump said of abortion ban.

Rubio’s home state “makes it more complicated” for Trump to pick him, he also said.

Secretary of State

Trump was busy on the world stage during his first term, seeking diplomatic rapprochement with North Korea, fostering negotiations between Israel and Arab states, organizing talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, and encouraging NATO allies to boost defense spending.

At the center of many of those instances was Mike Pompeo, whom Trump tapped for the role to replace Rex Tillerson, his original appointee. Pompeo suggested in March that he likely would accept a role in the administration.

“[I]f I get a chance to serve and think that I can make a difference ... I’m almost certainly going to say yes to that opportunity to try and deliver on behalf of the American people,” he said during an appearance on Fox News at the time.

Also attracting attention for the post has been Ric Grenell, whom Trump appointed to serve as acting director of National Intelligence during his first term. Grenell has remained active on the world stage, meeting with leaders across the political spectrum. The Washington Post, in fact, gave him the moniker of Trump’s “shadow secretary of state."

Attorney General

Both of Trump’s Senate-confirmed attorneys general left the post during his term.

His first pick, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., earned Trump’s ire over his decision to recuse himself from investigations involving Russian interference in the 2016 election, which opened the door for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to appoint special counsel Robert Mueller. Sessions resigned in late 2018 at Trump’s request.

His second pick, William Barr, previously held the post under George H.W. Bush. Barr resigned in late 2020 amid Trump’s election challenges.

Trump has expressed openness to tapping Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the post, saying in May that "I would [consider him], actually. He's very, very talented. I mean, we have a lot of people that want that one and will be very good at it. But he's a very talented guy."

Also attracting speculation is Stephen Miller, the founder of America First Legal and the architect of some of Trump’s immigration plans. After leaving the White House, his organization has spearheaded a number of legal challenges to the Biden administration. Business Insider floated him as a potential attorney general, though Newsweek in February featured analysts suggesting he could also fill the role of chief of staff.

Secretary of Defense

Trump’s original appointee to lead the Pentagon was James Mattis, who left the role in 2019 and whom Trump replaced with Mark Esper. Esper left in 2020 and Christopher Miller held the post in an acting capacity thereafter.

In December of last year, Trump hinted at his choice of Pentagon chief during an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, who floated Pompeo, Arkansas GOP Sen. Tom Cotton, former National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien, Florida GOP Rep. Mike Waltz, and Wisconsin GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher for the role.

"That’s a good list to start off with," Trump said of Hewitt's suggestions. “We have, it's such an important position. You know, we had Miller at the end who did a very good job.”

Other posts, possible picks

Trump in May indicated he would “absolutely” have former White House adviser Peter Navarro in a second administration.

“I would absolutely have Peter back. This outrageous behavior by the Democrats should not have happened.” he said. Navarro is currently serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 Committee.

Tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy, who was also a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, originally drew speculation as a potential running mate for Trump, though the former president ruled him out in March. He is, however, reportedly under consideration for an unspecified cabinet post, according to the New York Post.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X.