President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that Brooke Rollins will be his nominee to lead the Department of Agriculture, a move that underscores the influence of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) in shaping his second-term administration.
Rollins, a long-time Trump ally and president of AFPI, brings extensive experience to the role. She served as director of the Domestic Policy Council, director of the Office of American Innovation, and assistant to the president for strategic initiatives during Trump’s first term. Rollins also played a key role in the development of Trump’s policy agenda as a member of his 2016 Economic Advisory Council.
“Brooke was on my 2016 Economic Advisory Council and did an incredible job during my first term,” Trump said in a statement. “In these roles, she helped develop and manage the transformational Domestic Policy Agenda of my administration.”
Trump further praised Rollins for her leadership at AFPI and its advocacy organization, America First Works, highlighting her efforts to build a team of “loyal Patriots” dedicated to advancing the policies of the America First agenda.
A Key Appointment Amid Speculation
Rollins’s nomination follows widespread speculation that former Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee during her time in Congress, was also being considered for the post. Trump’s decision to select Rollins reflects his reliance on trusted figures from his first term and the growing clout of AFPI in his transition.
The nomination aligns with Trump’s broader strategy of tapping allies from AFPI for top administration roles. On Friday, Trump announced Linda McMahon, AFPI’s chair, as his pick for education secretary and named former Texas state Rep. Scott Turner, AFPI’s chairman of the Center for Education Opportunity, as secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Additionally, AFPI figures Michael Rigas and Doug Hoelscher are working directly with the transition, signaling the think tank’s strong influence over the incoming administration.
Collaborating with RFK Jr. on Food Reform
If confirmed, Rollins will play a central role in reshaping U.S. agriculture policy, working alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy has vowed to overhaul federal nutrition guidelines, tackle conflicts of interest in the food and health industries, and address systemic issues in the agricultural sector.
Kennedy has been a vocal critic of current agricultural subsidies, which he argues favor commodity crops used in processed foods, harming small farms and soil health. “We will stop subsidizing the worst foods with our agricultural subsidies,” Kennedy said earlier this year. “We will reform the entire food system.”
Rollins’s nomination is expected to align with Kennedy’s vision, suggesting a coordinated effort to address the nation’s food and health crises.
Looking Ahead
As Rollins prepares for her Senate confirmation process, her nomination is being viewed as a signal of Trump’s commitment to pursuing a comprehensive food and agriculture policy overhaul. With AFPI’s imprint on key appointments, the president-elect appears poised to execute a second-term agenda focused on advancing the America First platform.
If confirmed, Rollins will lead a department critical to the nation’s food security and rural economy, setting the stage for significant policy shifts in the years ahead.
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