President-elect Donald Trump has wasted little time appointing senior White House and Cabinet officials within his administration ahead of his second term in office in January.
But it remains to be seen who President Trump will choose to head the Department of Justice, perhaps one of the most important vacancies to be filled in the next administration.
Initial candidates for the position include a current senator, a former Justice Department official and at least one senior White House adviser from Trump's first term.
Although each brings vastly different backgrounds and perspectives to the role, they all share a common thread: loyalty to the president-elect and active support of his agenda and policies over the next four years.
While the United States awaits a formal announcement from the next president, some potential candidates have emerged for the position of U.S. attorney general.
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Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is believed to be one of the people President-elect Trump is considering for attorney general. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call, via Getty Images/File)
Sen. Mike Lee, Republican, Utah
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is considered a more traditional head of the Department of Justice. Mr. Lee is a high-ranking Republican in the House, which would make his path to Senate confirmation somewhat easier, at least compared to some of the more controversial names that have surfaced.
But he may not be aiming for the role.
The Utah Republican told reporters last week that while he consults frequently with Trump's transition team, he hopes to use his influence in the Republican-controlled Senate to expand support for Trump's Cabinet nominees. He said he plans to focus on helping elect a Senate majority leader. Mr. Lee is trying to play an important role in the leadership election as the current chairman of the Senate Management Committee.
“I have a job I want to do,” Lee said in an interview with the Deseret News. “And I look forward to working with President Trump and his team in the next Congress to implement the president's policies and the reforms that Republicans have proposed and campaigned for. It will be an exciting time. We have a lot of work to do. ”
John Ratcliffe
Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe is among the potential candidates to head the Justice Department.
Ratcliffe, a former federal prosecutor and former U.S. congressman from Texas, gained attention during President Trump's first term for his outspoken criticism of the FBI and the special counsel investigation overseen by Robert Mueller.
President Trump nominated Ratcliffe as Director of National Intelligence in 2019 to replace Dan Coats. The following year, he was named by the outgoing president to the impeachment team.
Mark Paoletta (right) walks with Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, on September 29, 2022. Paoletta is believed to be one of the people President-elect Trump is looking to potentially nominate to become U.S. attorney general. (Reuters/Evelyn Hochstein)
mark paoletta
Former White House Counsel Mark Paoletta served as an advisor to then-Vice President Mike Pence and the Office of Management and Budget during President Trump's first term.
Paoletta has already worked on the Trump transition team, helping steer Justice Department policy in the incoming Trump administration, and may be well-suited for the role.
Paoletta made it clear on Monday that if he were selected to lead the Justice Department, he would not tolerate any resistance to Trump's policies from career prosecutors or other non-political officials.
In a long post on social media site X, paoletta said Career employees are “required to carry out the president's plans” after the election, even if they are considered unethical or illegal.
Paoletta said, “If career Justice Department employees will not faithfully implement President Trump's policies, they should resign,'' Paoletta said. He pointed out that he would be found guilty of “destroying principles.” Subject to “disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.”
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is considered one of President-elect Trump's nominees for U.S. attorney general. (Vanessa Abbitt/After Deployment in St. Louis/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/File)
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has also emerged as one of the Justice Department's top candidates. Bailey was selected by Missouri Governor Mike Parson to be the state's top prosecutor in 2022 after then-Attorney General Eric Schmidt was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Since taking over the state Legislature, Bailey has led dozens of lawsuits against the Biden administration and sought to defend the state on a number of conservative issues as well.
People familiar with Mr. Bailey's career say his low-profile career could be an asset as a future U.S. attorney general, especially since the role requires Senate confirmation. Sens. Josh Hawley and Eric Schmidt could help here. Both senators are Missouri Republicans who also served as the state's attorney general before serving in the Senate.
Neither man appears to be seeking the role of America's top prosecutor, so if Bailey's name comes up for consideration in the Senate, he could play a key role in troubling him in the Senate. .
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matt whitaker
Former Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker briefly led the Justice Department after President Trump fired former Attorney General Jeff Sessions during his first term.
Asked in a Fox News interview last week if he wanted the role, Whitaker declined to answer, saying the decision was for Trump to make.
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“He's going to want someone he knows, likes and trusts,” Whittaker said. “He would want someone who has been there from the beginning,” he added, and who can help Whitaker defend against what he described as “all this legal nonsense.” Is that what you want?
President Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment about who will remain on the list of nominees for head of the Department of Justice.
