A seasoned policy expert with deep ties to the America First movement stands poised to shape the future of American farming and food policy.
According to the Washington Examiner, President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Brooke Rollins, his former domestic policy director and current president of the America First Policy Institute, to serve as the next Secretary of Agriculture.
Rollins brings extensive experience from her previous roles in the Trump administration, having served as Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives between 2020 and 2021. Her nomination adds to the growing influence of the America First Policy Institute in Trump's planned second administration.
Trump praised Rollins's previous service, highlighting her contributions to his administration's domestic policy agenda. Her selection follows recent nominations of other America First Policy Institute affiliates to key cabinet positions, including Linda McMahon for Education Secretary and Scott Turner for Housing and Urban Development Secretary.
The president-elect shared his confidence in Rollins through an official statement:
Brooke was on my 2016 Economic Advisory Council, and did an incredible job during my First Term as the Director of the Domestic Policy Council, Director of the Office of American Innovation, and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives. In these roles, she helped develop and manage the transformational Domestic Policy Agenda of my Administration.
The appointment comes after speculation that Rollins might be tapped for White House Chief of Staff, while former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, who served on the Senate Agriculture Committee, was rumored to be under consideration for the Agriculture Secretary position.
If confirmed, Rollins would work closely with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, who has outlined ambitious plans to reform agricultural subsidies and nutrition guidelines. Kennedy has expressed strong views about restructuring the current agricultural subsidy system.
This collaboration could signal a significant shift in agricultural policy, as Kennedy has been vocal about addressing what he sees as systemic issues in the food industry. His previous statements indicate a desire to redirect agricultural subsidies away from commodity crops that primarily support processed food production.
The potential partnership between these two departments could lead to substantial changes in how the federal government approaches food policy and agricultural subsidies. Both nominees have expressed interest in addressing what they view as fundamental problems in the current system.
The appointment of Rollins appears to be part of a broader strategy to integrate various policy initiatives across different departments. Her experience at the America First Policy Institute, which she co-founded in 2021, has involved developing comprehensive policy proposals for Trump's potential second term.
The influence of the America First Policy Institute is further evidenced by the involvement of other affiliated individuals in the transition process, including Michael Rigas and Doug Hoelscher. These appointments indicate a strategic effort to align agricultural policy with broader administrative goals, potentially leading to significant changes in how the Department of Agriculture operates and interacts with other federal agencies.
Brooke Rollins, nominated by President-elect Trump to lead the Department of Agriculture, brings her experience as a former Trump administration official and current president of the America First Policy Institute to this crucial cabinet position. Her selection follows Trump's recent nominations of other AFPI affiliates to key positions, suggesting a coordinated approach to policy implementation.
If confirmed, Rollins will work alongside HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to potentially reform agricultural subsidies and nutrition guidelines while implementing the America First agenda through the Department of Agriculture.
