Donald Trump selects Elaine Chao to be Transportation Secretary. Chao served in both Bush administrations.
President-elect Donald Trump ran an insurgent, anti-establishment campaign, but the latest addition to his prospective Cabinet is about as establishment as it gets.
Elaine Chao, whom Trump picked Tuesday to head the Department of Transportation, worked in both Bush administrations, has ties to the conservative Heritage Foundation, has sat on numerous corporate boards and spent several years running the United Way of America. She also happens to be married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
“Secretary Chao’s extensive record of strong leadership and her expertise are invaluable assets in our mission to rebuild our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner,” Trump said in a statement. “She has an amazing life story and has helped countless Americans in her public service career. I am pleased to nominate Elaine as Secretary of the Department of Transportation.”
Chao is the latest Trump pick who would very likely have shown up in any Republican administration-in-waiting, along with South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, longtime GOP fundraiser and school choice advocate Betsy DeVos, and Georgia Rep. Tom Price. (Trump’s picks for U.N. ambassador, education secretary and health and human services secretary, respectively.)