INDIANAPOLIS — President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration is taking shape as he builds out his list of Cabinet nominees.
University of Indianapolis professor and political expert Laura Wilson explained why Trump is wasting no time announcing his nominations.
"Probably part of doing this so early is to get that out there and to get the public enthusiastic, especially his supporters. But also, to make it very clear for the Senate after the inauguration and after we are beginning a new congressional session with a Republican-led Senate," Wilson said. "They need to work on those confirmations so those people are in office so they can hit the ground running." Wilson said.
She said what makes Trump's second administration's Cabinet unique are the names and faces that people will recognize.
"By selecting these people who are current or previously elected officials, they are well-known public figures, I think it adds that level of accountability. But typically, the Cabinet members have been largely invisible to the public," Wilson said.
RELATED: Yes, elected officials picked for Trump's cabinet will have to resign before taking new role
Wilson is also paying close attention to the future newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, which will be led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. She said the co-leaders will have a tight time frame. Trump has given them until July 2026 to fulfill their objectives which include cutting wasteful spending.
"Generally, this is a pretty popular idea. A lot of Americans feel the government is unchecked, there's too much bureaucratic red tape, there's so much waste and it's too expensive. This is actually adding more bureaucracy to check that bureaucracy," Wilson said.
Wilson said although some of the Cabinet nominations may be controversial, Trump appears to have a system.
"I think the emphasis here and the strategy behind Trump's selections is really looking at loyalty. Making sure he's creating a Cabinet with a composition of folks that will agree with his ideology and follow his American first agenda," Wilson said.
The former president is also pushing to appoint cabinet members when the Senate is in recess, avoiding confirmation votes.