Our real-time ranking of Trump’s new brain trust, from giants of industry, old hands and emerging outsiders, tracks who’s in the inner circle—and who’s been cast out. New: Peter Thiel joins the list—here’s where he ranks.
By Joe Walsh, Forbes Staff
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1. Elon Musk
The world’s richest man spent over $200 million to get Trump elected, was tapped to co-lead a still-undefined Department Of Government Efficiency and has become inseparable with the incoming commander in chief. How long can that last? (Net worth: More than $450 billion.)
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2. Susie Wiles
Incoming White House chief of staff led Trump’s 2024 campaign, and is widely credited with disciplining a chaotic operation. Still, Trump’s prior chiefs of staff have struggled to stay employed.
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3. Howard Lutnick
Cantor Fitzgerald CEO and a longtime Trump friend, Lutnick co-chairs his transition and was nominated Commerce Secretary—though had wanted Treasury, but Trump reportedly grew tired of his campaigning. (Net worth: Over $1.5 billion.)
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4. Stephen Miller
Incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, he’s a chief advocate for Trump’s mass deportation plans. His portfolio will reportedly be “vast,” and he’s begun weighing in on transition decisions.
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5. Donald Trump Jr.
Deemed his father's "loyalty scanner," he’s the only Trump child regularly in the mix. He describes his role as ensuring “bad actors are not getting into the administration,” and championed JD Vance for V.P. He’s not taking a formal role, instead joining a MAGA-leaning v.c. firm. (Net worth: $50 million).
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🟢 6. Peter Thiel | (NEW)
The billionaire v.c. was Trump’s biggest Silicon Valley backer in 2016, but more importantly, many of Trump’s allies have deep ties to Thiel or are his acolytes. JD Vance is a Thiel protégé, and Thiel is close with other Trump associates like Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. His relationship with David Sacks—from mentor to co-author to co-founder of PayPal—goes back decades, and his ally Jim O’Neill, who worked for Thiel’s charity and v.c. fund, is reportedly in line for a top Health and Human Services role. Thiel isn’t taking a formal Trump administration job, and he and Trump reportedly had a falling-out over donations last year. But his influence over this White House—through all of his connections—should be massive. (Net worth: $14.8 billion.)
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🔴 7. JD Vance | ⬇ 1
An attack dog during the campaign, the vice president-elect has lobbied senators to confirm Trump's Cabinet picks and reportedly weighed in on a few key hires. Widely seen as a possible Trump’s MAGA successor. (Net worth: Around $10 million.)
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🔴 8. Linda McMahon | ⬇ 1
Trump’s Education secretary nominee, she co-chairs Trump’s transition, and her pro-wrestling DNA (she co-founded the company that became WWE with husband Vince) pairs well with Trump. She runs the MAGA-inspired America First Policy Institute think tank. (Vince McMahon’s net worth: About $3.1 billion.)
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🔴 9. Pam Bondi | ⬇ 1
Picked for attorney general hours after Matt Gaetz dropped out. A big-time Trump ally and former Florida attorney general, Bondi represented Trump in his first impeachment, signaling he wants a loyalist to helm the Justice Department.
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🔴 10. Kash Patel | ⬇ 1
Trump FBI director pick is known for his fierce loyalty—he promoted 2020 election conspiracies and promised to punish Trump's supposed enemies, including those “in the media.” So far, he’s facing very little Senate GOP resistance, with some moderates shrugging or offering mild support.
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🔴 11. Scott Bessent | ⬇ 1
The hedge fund executive was picked for Treasury secretary, after advocating for Trump in interviews and advising him. He won the job after a bitter intra-MAGA fight, with Musk criticizing him as a “business-as-usual choice,” but has Wall Street’s approval.
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🔴 12. Jared Kushner | ⬇ 1
Trump’s son-in-law told Forbes he may advise Trump informally. He has advised Lutnick and could assist with Middle East diplomacy. (Net worth: Just under $1 billion.)
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🟢 13. Marc Andreessen | ⬆ 3
A v.c. giant worth $1.9 billion, he has described himself as an “unpaid volunteer” for DOGE and said he’s spent about half his time post-Election Day at or near Mar-A-Lago, often helping to screen job candidates. He made waves donating to pro-Trump groups—among the first key Silicon Valley Democratic turncoats—and has pushed Trump to embrace looser tech regulations.
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🔴 14. Steve Witkoff | ⬇ 2
Trump’s close friend and golf partner will co-chair his inaugural committee and be his envoy to the Middle East. A real estate investor, Witkoff praised him at the Republican convention and testified at his civil fraud trial. (Net worth: At least $1 billion.)
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15. Vivek Ramaswamy
Co-leading DOGE alongside Musk, the one-time 2024 GOP primary candidate and entrepreneur (net worth: $1.1 billion) spent time at Mar-A-Lago and joined Trump on a trip to the Army-Navy game.
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🔴 16. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. | ⬇ 3
The controversial nominee for Health and Human Services secretary is a vaccine skeptic whose views alarm a lot of experts, and some think sexual abuse claims could doom him. He’s already had to apologize for comparing Trump fans to Nazis. (Net worth: about $15 million.)
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17. David Sacks
The Silicon Valley v.c. and friend of Musk’s will serve as Trump's "AI and crypto czar,” after fundraising for Trump in San Francisco, boosting the president-elect on his influential "All In" podcast and spending election night at Mar-A-Lago.
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🔴 18. Marco Rubio | ⬇ 4
Trump and his expected next secretary of state were bitter rivals for the 2016 GOP nomination, but Rubio quickly positioned himself as a Trump ally in the Senate. He’s an Iran and China hawk, though has said he plans to back “whatever the president’s policies are.” (Net worth: Over $1 million.)
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🔴 19. Tulsi Gabbard | ⬇ 1
Trump chose the Democrat-turned-Trump backer for director of national intelligence, and she has reportedly sat in on transition meetings. But she’s controversial for her supportive comments about Russia and meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Her nomination underscores Trump’s longstanding distrust for spy agencies.
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