Sarah Mitchell
Former US President Donald Trump's cabinet has been described as the most Catholic in history. Trump appointed several Catholics to his cabinet, including Sean Duffy, Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Elise Stefanik. Trump has also tapped Catholics for other top positions, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Callista Gingrich as ambassador to Switzerland. If all of Trump's Catholic nominees were confirmed, his cabinet would have been comparable to that of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who had a significant number of Catholics. Trump's cabinet selections represented an unusual slice of American religious life, with a broader representation of faiths than in his first term.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Trump's Cabinet that are Catholic | More than a third |
| Number of Trump's Cabinet nominees that are Catholic | 9 |
| Number of Trump's Cabinet nominees that are Catholic and have been confirmed by the Senate | 3 |
| Names of Catholic Cabinet members | Sean Duffy, Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elise Stefanik, Tom Homan, JD Vance, Karoline Leavitt, Brian Burch, Callista Gingrich |
| Catholic Cabinet members who rarely talk about their faith publicly | Elise Stefanik |
| Catholic Cabinet members who are converts | Two |
| Trump's senior staff who are Catholic | A large number |
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What You'll Learn
Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation, has nine children
Sean Patrick Duffy, the 20th United States Secretary of Transportation, was born on October 3, 1971, in Hayward, Wisconsin. He is the tenth of eleven children born to Carol Ann and Thomas Walter Duffy and has nine children of his own. He has Irish and German ancestry and was raised in a large Irish Catholic family.
Duffy's career began in television, starring in the MTV reality TV show "The Real World" in his twenties. He later appeared on "Road Rules All Stars," where he met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy. Duffy went on to become a lawyer and prosecutor, serving as the District Attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, from 2002 to 2010. He then served as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019, actively leading on local transportation issues. After leaving Congress, he hosted the Fox Business show, "The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy," and became a lobbyist.
On November 18, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Duffy for Secretary of Transportation in his second presidency. Duffy was confirmed by the Senate on January 28, 2025, by a vote of 77-22 and was sworn in the same day. As Secretary of Transportation, Duffy has been involved in various policy decisions, including rescinding electric vehicle tax incentives and threatening to cut funding to states that refused to comply with Trump's immigration agenda.
Duffy's large family background and Catholic faith have likely influenced his personal and political life. Before his confirmation hearing, he gathered with his family, including his nine children, and led them in praying a Hail Mary. Duffy's Catholic faith aligns with Trump's administration, which has been noted for its strong Catholic influence, with more than a third of his Cabinet nominees being Catholic.
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Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American from Miami, Florida, is a member of the Republican Party. He is a lawyer, politician, and diplomat who has served as the 72nd United States Secretary of State since 2025. Rubio is also the first Latino to hold this position, making him the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in US history.
In November 2024, President Trump nominated Rubio to be the Secretary of State in his second administration. Rubio was confirmed unanimously (99-0) by the US Senate and took office on January 21, 2025. Rubio's main priority as Secretary of State is to put America First. In addition to his role as Secretary of State, Rubio also serves in other positions, such as National Security Advisor, USAID Administrator, and Archivist of the United States.
Prior to his role as Secretary of State, Rubio served as a City Commissioner in West Miami and as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2000, representing the 111th district. Rubio then served as the Republican Majority Leader and was later elected Speaker of the Florida House, serving from 2006 to 2008. After leaving the Florida legislature due to term limits, he began teaching at Florida International University. In 2010, Rubio was elected to the US Senate, where he served until 2025. During his time in the Senate, Rubio was committed to serving the people of Florida and ensuring America's strength and resilience. He also played a significant role in shaping US policy on Latin America during Trump's first administration, earning him the description of a "virtual secretary of state for Latin America".
Marco Rubio is a Catholic, and more than a third of Trump's Cabinet nominees are Catholic as well. This includes Sean Duffy (Secretary of Transportation), John Ratcliffe (CIA Director), and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., among others. Trump has also appointed Catholics to other top positions, such as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch.
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CIA Director John Ratcliffe
John Ratcliffe, a Catholic, was confirmed by the Senate as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in January 2025. Ratcliffe was the second member of Trump's new cabinet to be confirmed, following Marco Rubio as secretary of state. Ratcliffe is a former congressman and federal prosecutor from Texas. He also served as director of national intelligence during Trump's first term and is the first person to have held that position and the top post at the CIA.
Ratcliffe has been described as a "loyalist" and a "fierce Trump defender". He emerged as a staunch supporter of the former president while serving as a congressman during Trump's first impeachment. Ratcliffe also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he testified about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Ratcliffe has expressed hawkish views, particularly towards China, which he considers America's greatest geopolitical rival. He has also been critical of the Biden administration for not providing more intelligence and military aid to Israel. During his confirmation hearing, Ratcliffe emphasised the need for the CIA to harness technologies such as AI and quantum computing to confront adversaries. He also highlighted the importance of protecting Americans' civil rights.
As CIA director, Ratcliffe has delivered on Trump's executive order to release documents related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, resulting in the declassification and publication of thousands of pages of historic material.
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Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr
More than a third of Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees are Catholic, with Sean Duffy, Marco Rubio, and John Ratcliffe being confirmed by the Senate. Trump has also appointed Catholics to other top positions, including White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Callista Gingrich, ambassador to Switzerland. One of Trump's most controversial Catholic picks is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., born on January 17, 1954, is the son of senator and former US attorney general Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy, and a nephew of President John F. Kennedy. He began his career as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan. In the mid-1980s, Kennedy joined two nonprofits focused on environmental protection: Riverkeeper and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). In 1986, he became an adjunct professor of environmental law at Pace University School of Law, and in 1987 he founded Pace's Environmental Litigation Clinic. Kennedy is a well-respected climate lawyer and has been considered for several top environmental jobs in Democratic administrations. He has written several books on the environment, vaccinations, biography, and American heroes, including two New York Times bestsellers, Crimes Against Nature and The Riverkeepers.
In 2000, Kennedy co-founded the environmental law firm Kennedy & Madonna, LLP, which litigates environmental contamination cases on behalf of various entities, including individuals, non-profit organizations, and Indian tribes. The firm has secured significant settlements in cases against industrial polluters and has been profiled in an HBO documentary. Kennedy was also a finalist for "Trial Lawyer of the Year" by Public Justice in 2007. In 2016, he became counsel to the Morgan & Morgan law firm and has since been involved in lawsuits against companies such as SoCalGas and Monsanto. Kennedy has been recognized as a leading defender of the environment, particularly for his work with Riverkeeper and the protection of New York City's water supply. He has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in negotiating treaties to protect their traditional homelands.
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Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the UN
Elise Stefanik, a New York Representative, was chosen by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as his ambassador to the United Nations in November 2024. She was nominated for the role on January 20, 2025, and appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on January 21, 2025. However, Stefanik's nomination was withdrawn on March 27, 2025, due to concerns about how her departure from the House would impact the slim House Republican majority.
Stefanik, a loyal ally of Trump, was expected to be thrown into the deep divisions within the world body, from the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine to North Korea and Iran's nuclear ambitions. She also vowed to counter Chinese influence within UN agencies by strengthening alliances with traditional American partners and forging coalitions with smaller nations.
Stefanik is a Catholic who rarely talks about her faith publicly. She is one of more than a third of Trump's Cabinet nominees who are Catholic. Trump's Cabinet has been described as the most Catholic in history, with serious Catholics attempting to apply the teachings of the Church to their governing.
Stefanik, a moderate Republican, moved considerably to the right during her political career, aligning herself with Trump during his first term. She opposed his first impeachment in 2019 and supported his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. She has also introduced resolutions to expunge Trump's impeachments.
Stefanik was born in Albany, New York, in 1984, and grew up in upstate New York. She graduated from Harvard and worked in former President George W. Bush's White House. She was elected to Congress in 2014 at the age of 30, becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at the time.
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Frequently asked questions
More than a third of Trump's cabinet members are Catholic.
Trump's Catholic cabinet members include Sean Duffy, Marco Rubio, John Ratcliffe, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Elise Stefanik, and Tom Homan.
Trump's cabinet selections represent an unusual slice of American religious life, with a broader representation of faiths than his first term. While it is unclear how the religious diversity of Trump's cabinet will be reflected in his governance, his administration has been noted for its strong advocacy for international religious liberty.
