In a surprise move, president-elect Donald Trump has nominated 52-year-old Texan Brooke Rollins to be the next agriculture secretary. She is currently president and CEO of America First Policy Institute.  

On its Twitter account, its mission states:  “We craft policy, counsel policymakers, amplify activists, challenge media narratives, and do everything we can to build an America where Americans comes FIRST.”

In Trump’s announcement, he said: “Brooke’s commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns is second to none.”

In Trump’s first term, Rollins served as White House domestic policy council director. Previously, she was president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, for 15 years. She is also an attorney. 

The USDA, with a 2024 budget of $437.2 billion budget, oversees 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees. 

For more background, listen to her podcasts: https://americafirstpolicy.com/team/brookerollins

Source: Associated Press November 23, 2024