House Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson is among those being considered for agriculture secretary in the next Trump administration, according to a person familiar with the team’s thinking. Reports say the Pennsylvania Republican, who developed closer ties to Trump during the president-elect’s many campaign visits to the Keystone State, offers deep knowledge of agriculture policy.
The Trump transition team neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of tapping Thompson. “President-Elect Trump will begin making decisions on who will serve in his second Administration soon. Those decisions will be announced when they are made,” said spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. Other names being mentioned are Former Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agriculture Affairs Ted McKinney; Kip Tom, formerly U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture; and former White House ag advisor Ray Starling.