US president-elect Donald Trump has begun the process of choosing a cabinet and selecting other high-ranking administration officials following his election victory.
Here are the early picks Mr Trump has put forward for some of the key posts overseeing defence, intelligence, diplomacy, trade, immigration and economic policymaking:
Robert F Kennedy Jr, Health and Human Services Secretary
Robert F Kennedy is an environmental activist who has spread misinformation about the dangers of vaccines.
He has suggested he would gut the 18,000-employee Food and Drug Administration, which ensures the safety of food, drugs and medical devices, and replace hundreds of employees at the National Institutes of Health.
Mr Kennedy ran for president in this year's election, first as a Democrat and then as an independent, before dropping out in August in exchange for a role in Mr Trump's administration.
The Department of Health and Human Services oversees the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the massive Medicare and Medicaid Services programs, which provide health coverage for the poor, those aged 65 and older, and the disabled.
Doug Burgum- Interior Secretary
Mr Trump said yesterday that he had chosen Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota, to be interior secretary.
Speaking at an event at his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida, Mr Trump said he would make the formal announcement today.
"He's going to head the Department of Interior, and it's going to be fantastic," Mr Trump said.
Mr Burgum, 68, a wealthy former software company executive, has portrayed himself as a traditional, business-minded conservative.
He ran against Mr Trump for the Republican presidential nomination before quitting and becoming a loyal Trump supporter.
The Interior Department manages public lands and minerals, national parks and wildlife refuges. The department also carries out the US government's trust responsibility to Native Americans.
Susan Wiles - Chief of Staff
Mr Trump announced last week that Susan Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, will be his White House Chief of Staff.
While the specifics of her political views are somewhat unclear, Ms Wiles, 67, is credited with running a successful and efficient campaign.
Supporters hope she will instil a sense of order and discipline that was often lacking during Mr Trump's first four-year term, when he cycled through a number of chiefs of staff.
Tom Homan - 'Border Czar'
Mr Trump announced on Sunday night that Tom Homan, the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Mr Trump's first administration, will be in charge of the country's borders.
Mr Trump made cracking down on people illegally in the country a central element of his campaign, promising mass deportations.
Mr Homan, 62, said he would prioritise deporting immigrants who are illegally in the US and who posed safety and security threats as well as those working at job sites.
Elise Stefanik - UN Ambassador
Mr Trump announced on Monday that Elise Stefanik, a Republican congresswoman and staunch Trump supporter, would be his ambassador to the United Nations.
Ms Stefanik, 40, a US representative from New York state and House Republican conference chair, took a leadership position in the House of Representatives in 2021 when she was elected to replace then-Representative Liz Cheney, who was ousted for criticising Mr Trump's false claims of election fraud.
"Elise is an incredibly strong, tough, and smart America First fighter," Mr Trump said in a statement.
Ms Stefanik will arrive at the UN after bold promises by Mr Trump to end the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel's war in Gaza.
Lee Zeldin - EPA Administrator
Mr Trump also announced he had appointed former congressman Lee Zeldin of New York state as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Mr Zeldin, 44, a staunch Trump ally, served in Congress from 2015 to 2023.
In 2022, he lost the New York governor's race to Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul.
Mr Trump has promised to overhaul US energy policy, with the aim of maximising the country's already record-high oil and gas production by rolling back regulations and speeding up permitting.
Marco Rubio - Secretary of State
President-elect Donald Trump nominated Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state, brushing aside critics in his party and putting the outspoken hawk in charge of US foreign policy.
Mr Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants to Miami and vociferous opponent of Latin American communists, China and Iran, would be the first Hispanic as the top US diplomat.
Mr Trump, who clashed bitterly with Mr Rubio for the presidential nomination in 2016, said in a statement nominating him: "Marco is a Highly Respected Leader, and a very powerful Voice for Freedom."
"He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries".
Mr Rubio said in a statement that he will work with Mr Trump "every day to carry out his foreign policy agenda."
"Under the leadership of President Trump, we will deliver peace through strength and always put the interests of Americans and America above all else," Rubio said in a statement.
After reports of Mr Rubio's announcement first circulated, Mr Trump faced calls from leading non-interventionist Republicans to reconsider.
Mr Trump simultaneously named Tulsi Gabbard, who has branded Mr Rubio a warmonger, as intelligence chief.
Pete Hegseth - Defense Secretary
Mr Trump said yesterday that he had picked Pete Hegseth as his secretary of defence.
Mr Hegseth is a Fox News commentator and army veteran who has expressed disdain for the so-called "woke" policies of Pentagon leaders, including its top military officer.
If confirmed by the US Senate, he could make good on Mr Trump's campaign promises to rid the US military of generals who he accuses of pursuing progressive policies on diversity in the ranks that conservatives have rallied against.
It could also set up a collision course between Mr Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General CQ Brown who Mr Hegseth accused of "pursuing the radical positions of left-wing politicians".
Mike Waltz - National Security Adviser
Mr Trump picked Republican US Representative Mike Waltz to be his national security adviser.
Mr Waltz is a retired Army Green Beret who has been a leading critic of China.
Mr Waltz, a 50-year-old Trump loyalist who also served in the National Guard as a colonel, has criticised Chinese activity in the Asia-Pacific and has voiced the need for the US to be ready for a potential conflict in the region.
The national security adviser is a powerful role, which does not require Senate confirmation. Mr Waltz will be responsible for briefing Mr Trump on key national security issues and coordinating with different agencies.
While slamming the Biden administration for a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Mr Waltz has publicly praised the former president's foreign policy views.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy - heads of Department of Government Efficiency
Mr Trump named Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, rewarding two of his well known supporters from the private sector.
The pair "will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies," Mr Trump said in a statement.
The Republican said the new department "will provide advice and guidance from outside of government" and work with the White House and Office of Management and Budget to "drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach".
Kristi Noem - Homeland Security secretary
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been picked to serve as the next Homeland Security Secretary, Mr Trump said yesterday.
Mr Noem, 52, once seen as a possible running mate for Mr Trump, is currently serving her second four-year term as South Dakota's governor.
She rose to national prominence after refusing to impose a statewide mask mandate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for everything from border protection and immigration to disaster response and the US Secret Service.
"Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times," Mr Trump said.
He said Ms Noem would work closely with his "border czar," Tom Homan.
In an X post, Ms Noem said she looked forward to working with Mr Homan to "make America SAFE again."
John Ratcliffe - CIA director
Mr Trump picked former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to serve as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
A former congressman and prosecutor who served as Director of National Intelligence during Mr Trump's last year in office, Mr Ratcliffe, 59, is seen as a hardcore Trump loyalist who could likely win Senate confirmation.
Still, during his time as director of national intelligence, Mr Ratcliffe often contradicted the assessments of career civil servants, drawing criticism from Democrats who said he politicised the role.
Tulsi Gabbard - Director of National Intelligence
Mr Trump named former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who has opposed US support for Ukraine and met Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, as his incoming Director of National Intelligence.
The43-year-old is a critic of the Biden administration, and left the Democratic party in 2022 to become an independent.
The Republican president-elect said Ms Gabbard, a veteran and one-time Democratic White House contender, would "bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our intelligence community."
She was a considered a possible candidate to become Mr Trump's running mate.
Matt Gaetz - attorney general
Mr Trump named right-wing Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz as his attorney general, rewarding the loyalty of a staunch ally who has defended the Republican in his legal battles and impeachment fights.
"Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System," Mr Trump posted on social media.
"Matt will end Weaponized Government... and restore Americans' badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department."
Scott Bessent - potential treasury secretary
Mr Bessent, a key economic adviser to Mr Trump, is widely seen as a top candidate for treasury secretary.
A longtime hedge fund investor who taught at Yale University for several years, Mr Bessent has a warm relationship with the president-elect.
While Mr Bessent has long favoured the laissez-faire policies that were popular in the pre-Trump Republican Party, he has also spoken highly of Mr Trump's use of tariffs as a negotiating tool.
He has praised the president-elect's economic philosophy, which rests on a scepticism of both regulations and international trade.
Robert Lighthizer - trade czar, potential treasury secretary
A loyalist who served as Mr Trump's US trade representative for essentially the then-president's entire term, Robert Lighthizer will almost certainly be invited back.
Though Mr Bessent likely has a better shot at becoming treasury secretary, Mr Lighthizer has an outside chance, and he might be able to reprise his old role if he is interested.
The Wall Street Journal has reported Mr Trump wanted Mr Lighthizer as his trade czar.
Like Mr Trump, Mr Lighthizer, 77, is a trade sceptic and a firm believer in tariffs.
He was one of the leading figures in Mr Trump's trade war with China and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with Mexico and Canada during Mr Trump's first term.
Howard Lutnick - potential treasury secretary
The co-chair of Mr Trump's transition effort and the longtime chief executive of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick is in the running for treasury secretary.
A bombastic New Yorker like Mr Trump, Mr Lutnick, 63, has uniformly praised the president-elect's economic policies, including his use of tariffs.
He has at times given elaborate, unvarnished opinions about what policies will be enacted in Mr Trump's second term.
Some Trump allies had privately complained that he too often presented himself as speaking on behalf of the campaign.
Linda McMahon - potential commerce secretary
Professional wrestling magnate and former Small Business Administration director Linda McMahon is seen as the frontrunner to lead Mr Trump's Department of Commerce, three sources briefed on the plans said.
Ms McMahon, 76, is a major donor and was an early supporter of Mr Trump when he first ran for the White House almost a decade ago.
This time, Mr Trump tapped her to co-lead a transition team formed to help vet personnel and draft policy ahead of the 5 November election.
Ms McMahon is the co-founder and former CEO of the professional wrestling franchise WWE.
She later served as director of the Small Business Administration, resigning in 2019, and went on to lead a pro-Trump political action committee that supported his 2020 re-election bid.
Kash Patel - potential candidate for national security posts
A former Republican House staffer who served in various high-ranking staff roles in the defence and intelligence communities during Mr Trump's first term, Kash Patel frequently appeared on the campaign trail to rally support for the candidate.
Any position requiring Senate confirmation may be a challenge, however.
Mr Patel, 44, has leaned into controversy throughout his career.
In an interview with Trump ally Steve Bannon last year, he promised to "come after" politicians and journalists perceived to be enemies of Mr Trump's.
During Mr Trump's first term, Mr Patel, seen as the ultimate Trump loyalist, drew animosity from some more experienced national security officials, who saw him as volatile and too eager to please the then-president.
