Trump Administration Officials Juggle Multiple Roles Amid Shake-Ups
The Trump administration, facing a series of firings and governmental realignments, has increasingly tasked Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials with assuming multiple responsibilities, a trend observed by Fox News Digital. This move, aimed at streamlining the federal government in accordance with President Trump’s "America First" policies, has drawn both praise from within the administration and criticism from Democrats who question the feasibility and effectiveness of such arrangements.
A prominent example is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, in addition to leading the State Department, was appointed as Trump’s national security advisor following the president’s nomination of former National Security Council chief Mike Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Rubio’s expanded portfolio also includes serving as acting archivist of the United States after Trump ousted a Biden-era appointee, and acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development as the administration pursues the agency’s dissolution by September.
While Rubio’s situation is perhaps the most visible, he is not alone in shouldering multiple roles within the Trump administration. Fox News Digital’s investigation revealed several instances of Cabinet members and officials "wearing multiple hats" as the president works to reshape the federal government.
Democrats have voiced concerns regarding Rubio’s ability to effectively manage such a diverse range of responsibilities. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, speaking on CBS’s "Face the Nation," questioned the practicality of Rubio’s multiple roles, particularly given perceived "incompetence" at the Department of Defense and the "hollowing out" of its leadership. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia echoed these concerns on CNN’s "State of the Union," stating he didn’t know "how anybody could do these two big jobs."
The White House, however, has defended the practice, contrasting it with what they describe as the failures of the Biden administration. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital that "Democrats cheered on Joe Biden’s disaster of a Cabinet as it launched the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, opened the southern border to migrant criminals, weaponized the justice system against political opponents, and more." Kelly asserted that President Trump has assembled a team of "qualified, talented individuals he trusts to manage many responsibilities."
The administration has previously dismissed concerns about Rubio’s dual roles, drawing parallels to historical precedents such as President Richard Nixon’s appointment of Henry Kissinger as both national security advisor and secretary of state in 1973. An administration official told Politico that the president values "a team player who is very honest with the president and the senior team, not someone trying to build an empire or wield a knife or drive their own agenda. He is singularly focused on delivering the president’s agenda."
Rubio’s expanded responsibilities come at a time of heightened global tensions, with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and the recent escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. Rubio addressed the situation between India and Pakistan in a social media post, stating, "I am monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely. I echo @POTUSs comments earlier today that this hopefully ends quickly and will continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution."
The Trump administration’s foreign policy approach has also heavily relied on special envoys, such as Steve Witkoff, the special envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff, a former real estate tycoon and longtime Trump ally, is focused on negotiating with Russia regarding the war in Ukraine and leading talks with Iran concerning its nuclear program. He was credited with securing the release of U.S. schoolteacher Marc Fogel from a Russian prison.
Another example of officials taking on multiple roles involves FBI Director Kash Patel, who was briefly tasked with overseeing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after the Biden-era director resigned. Patel, known for his criticism of the "deep state," was later replaced by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll as acting ATF director. The White House clarified that Patel’s designation as ATF director was a short-term move while awaiting Senate confirmations and that "dozens of similar re-designations have occurred across the federal government."
Driscoll, sworn in as the 26th secretary of the Army in February, is a senior-level civilian official responsible for managing the Army and advising the secretary of defense. As acting ATF director, he is responsible for overseeing the agency’s mission to protect communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, and the illegal trafficking of firearms, explosives, and contraband.
The ATF has been a target of criticism from some Republicans, with Reps. Eric Burlison and Lauren Boebert introducing legislation to abolish the agency, arguing that it has worked to strip Second Amendment rights from U.S. citizens. The ATF has also been tasked with assisting the Department of Homeland Security in its deportation efforts under the Trump administration.
Former Georgia Republican Rep. Doug Collins was appointed as the Trump administration’s secretary of Veterans Affairs in February. Shortly after his confirmation, Trump tapped Collins to temporarily lead the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel. The Office of Government Ethics oversees the executive branch’s ethics program, while the Office of Special Counsel protects the federal government’s merit system and ensures whistleblowers are not retaliated against.
Russell Vought, who served as Trump’s director of the Office of Management and Budget during his first term, was reappointed to the same role in February. Days later, Vought was also named the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an independent government agency created to protect consumers from unfair financial practices. The CFPB has faced scrutiny from the Department of Government Efficiency, with mass terminations preceding a reduction in force initiative.
Richard Grenell, Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, currently serves as president of the Kennedy Center and special presidential envoy for special missions of the United States. As president of the Kennedy Center, Grenell aims to usher in a "golden age" of the arts during Trump’s second administration. As special presidential envoy, he is involved in addressing issues in various global hotspots, including Venezuela and North Korea.
The practice of assigning multiple roles to officials raises questions about the potential strain on individuals and the overall effectiveness of government operations. Whether this trend will prove beneficial to the administration’s goals remains to be seen, as the administration continues to navigate complex challenges both domestically and abroad.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the administration officials working multiple high-profile roles as opposed to appointing or nominating other qualified individuals but did not receive a response.
