Trump’s Cabinet

Billionaire’s first picks

Michael Flynn Retired Lt General

Mr Flynn, 57, served in Iraq and Afghanistan after joining the US Army in 1981. He rose through the ranks and in 2011 was made Lt General. A year later Barack Obama appointed him director of the Defence Intelligence Agency. He was fired two years later after clashes over his “management style”. Mr Flynn is said to have ties to Russia and shares Mr Trump’s scepticism of Nato.

Mike Pompeo Congressman for Kansas

A West Point and Harvard Law graduate who represents the Wichita area in the House, Mr Pompeo, 52, was elected in 2011 after founding an aerospace company. He received funding from the billionaire Koch brothers, and in power has echoed their positions of climate change scepticism, free market economics and libertarian beliefs. He opposes the Iran deal and closing Guantánamo.

Jeff Sessions Senator from Alabama

A veteran of Alabama politics, Mr Sessions, 69, is known for taking a very hard line on immigration, and being only the second candidate for federal judge rejected by the approval committee after claims of racism. In power he has opposed nearly every immigration bill including a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally, and also fought legal immigration.