Biden’s first Cabinet picks a marked shift from Trump’s direction

By Sean Golonka, Haley Chi-Sing and Liz Dustin
BU News Service

President-elect Joe Biden announced his first Cabinet picks this week, touting the list of top officials as reflective of America. The group includes a number of firsts, including the first female Intelligence Chief, the first Latino and immigrant to run Homeland Security, and the first female Secretary of the Treasury. They also have experience at various levels of government.

The US Cabinet serves under the executive branch. Its members include the Vice President as well as the heads of federal executive departments. The President nominates individuals to serve as the heads of the executive departments, but these nominations must also be confirmed by the Senate.

The Cabinet is made up of 23 Cabinet and Cabinet-rank officials, but the Vice President and White House Chief of Staff do not have to be confirmed by the Senate. The Trump Cabinet currently is composed of  18 white men, 2 white women, 1 Hispanic woman, 1 Asian woman, and 1 Black man.

Here’s a roundup of the Biden picks so far: