This was published 7 years ago
Contenders or 'finalists'? The names on Donald Trump's mind for top jobs
By Ginger Gibson and Susan Cornwell
Washington: New candidates to serve in US President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet have emerged, including US Senator Ted Cruz as a potential attorney general and North Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as secretary of state, as he works to fill administration positions ahead of his inauguration on January 20.
Trump said on Sunday he would hire Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff and named Stephen Bannon, below centre, former head of the conservative website Breitbart News, as his chief strategist and senior counsellor.
Soon-to-be White House chief strategist Steve Bannon believes what is happening in Europe and American is part of "a global reaction to centralised government".Credit: AP
Trump has also said on Twitter, only he knew who the "finalists" were, saying the team make-up was progressing well, and drawing ridicule online for similarly comparing the task to an episode of The Apprentice.
Below are people mentioned as contenders for senior roles.
Treasury Secretary
* Steven Mnuchin, former Goldman Sachs Group executive and Trump's campaign finance chairman
* Jeb Hensarling, US representative from Texas and chairman of the House Financial Services Committee
* Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co chief executive officer
* Tom Barrack, founder and chairman of Colony Capital
Secretary of State
Republican 2012 presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, was an early critic of Donald Trump.Credit: Alex Wong
* Mitt Romney, 2012 presidential nominee and former Massachusetts governor who was an early critic of Donald Trump
* Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City
* Nikki Haley, governor of South Carolina
* Jeff Sessions, US senator from Alabama and early Trump supporter, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee
* John Bolton, former US ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush
* Bob Corker, US senator from Tennessee and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
* Newt Gingrich, former US House of Representatives speaker, who on Thursday said he would not serve in the administration in any official role
* Zalmay Khalilzad, former US ambassador to Iraq
Defence Secretary
* Jeff Sessions, US senator from Alabama and early Trump supporter, member of the Senate Armed Services Committee
* Tom Cotton, US senator from Arkansas
* Michael Flynn, below, retired lieutenant general and former director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, who in August said the US should "see the world from Turkey's perspective" . Flynn has since been offered the job of national security adviser.
President-elect Donald Trump's choice for National Security Adviser Retired General Michael Flynn senior.Credit: AP
* Jon Kyl, former US senator from Arizona
* Duncan Hunter, US representative from California and early Trump supporter, member of the House Armed Services Committee
* Jim Talent, former US senator from Missouri who was on the Senate Armed Services Committee
* Kelly Ayotte, outgoing US senator from New Hampshire and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee
Attorney-General
* Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City, below.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani walks from an elevator as he leaves Trump Tower, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)Credit: AP
* Ted Cruz, US senator from Texas
* Jeff Sessions, senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who takes a hard line on immigration
* Kris Kobach, Kansas secretary of state, architect of anti-immigration efforts who says he is advising Trump on immigration issues
* Pam Bondi, Florida attorney general
* Trey Gowdy, US representative from South Carolina who headed the House committee that investigated the 2012 attacks on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya
* Henry McMaster, lieutenant governor of South Carolina
Health and Human Services Secretary
* Tom Price, US representative from Georgia who is an orthopedic surgeon
* Newt Gingrich, former US House of Representatives speaker
* Rick Scott, Florida governor
* Rich Bagger, former pharmaceutical executive and former top aide to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
* Bobby Jindal, former Louisiana governor
Homeland Security Secretary
* Michael McCaul, US representative from Texas and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee
* David Clarke, Milwaukee county sheriff and vocal Trump supporter
* Joe Arpaio, outgoing Maricopa County, Arizona, sheriff who campaigned for Trump
Head of the Environmental Protection Agency
* Jeff Holmstead, energy lawyer, former EPA official during George W. Bush administration
* Mike Catanzaro, energy lobbyist, former EPA official during George W. Bush administration
* Robert Grady, venture capitalist, partner in private equity firm Gryphon Investors
* Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas attorney general
* Carol Comer, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Energy Secretary
* Harold Hamm, Oklahoma oil and gas mogul, chief executive of Continental Resources
* Kevin Cramer, US Representative from North Dakota
* Robert Grady, venture capitalist, partner in private equity firm Gryphon Investors
* Larry Nichols, co-founder of Devon Energy
* James Connaughton, chief executive of Nautilus Data Technologies and a former environmental adviser to President George W. Bush
Interior Secretary
* Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor, 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.Credit: Paul Sancya
* Jan Brewer, former Arizona governor