On Saturday, President-elect Trump revealed that he intends to nominate Brooke Rollins as the Secretary of Agriculture, adding to his growing list of Cabinet nominations. In a statement, Trump praised Rollins for her unwavering dedication to supporting American farmers, promoting food self-sufficiency, and revitalizing small towns reliant on agriculture, highlighting her family’s farming background and early participation in organizations like Future Farmers of America and 4H.
Rollins, who became part of Trump’s Economic Advisory Council in 2016, currently serves as the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a think tank founded by former Trump administration officials.
In 2021, she spearheaded a $10 million campaign to challenge President Biden’s economic policies and publicly backed Trump’s re-election bid despite media criticism and discontent within the GOP.
Rollins addressed the backlash against former Trump officials, stating, “For every one former Trump official or staffer that now says negative things, you have hundreds that worked for him, that worked in the White House and in the administration that would love the opportunity to go back and work for him again, and would do so in a heartbeat.”
Her nomination came just one day after Trump named Scott Turner, another leader from the America First Policy Institute, as his pick for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Rollins’ selection was unexpected, as many had anticipated that former Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) would be chosen for the Agriculture role.
Despite the surprise, Loeffler will continue her role as co-chair of Trump’s second inaugural committee alongside real estate magnate Steve Witkoff.