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Five Underrated Appointments for the Upcoming Administration

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Five Underrated Appointments for the Upcoming Administration

November 25, 2024

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One of president-elect Donald Trump’s duties when returning to the White House will be to make appointments to the executive branch. A few of these, such as Secretaries of Defense and State, are well known, but most are far more obscure; the president appoints more than 4,000 people in total. Beyond the limelight, the incoming administration should pay careful attention to the following lesser-known appointments to make the most out of the next four years and beyond.

A first underrated appointment is the Librarian of Congress, who, besides administering the Library of Congress, plays a major role in copyright policy by appointing the Register of Copyrights and overseeing the Copyright Office. This office’s duties include interpreting copyright law and administering certain statutory licenses—duties that will be increasingly important amid the rise of artificial intelligence. The future of AI will be defined by legal battles in copyright, making the next 10-year term for the next Librarian of Congress a crucial one. When the current Librarian’s term expires in 2026, the Trump administration will have a major opportunity to shape the direction of several emerging technologies through this appointment.

The Comptroller General, a second important official, leads the Government Accountability Office, which serves as the nonpartisan watchdog for the legislative branch. GAO’s recommendations already save the taxpayer money—its nearly 1,500 recommendations in 2024 saved approximately $67.5 billion. However, GAO’s success rate has lately been slipping: only 70 percent of 2024 recommendations were implemented, compared to a rate of nearly 80 percent in recent years. This decline represents a real loss to the taxpayers: the agency estimates that implementing all open recommendations could save $100–$200 billion. The Comptroller General’s next 15-year term will start in 2025, giving Trump a chance to shape government auditing well into the future. The U.S. needs a Comptroller General who will aggressively investigate government waste and provide essential support to Elon Musk’s new Department of Government Efficiency.

Next, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, as the executive branch's lead agency on telecommunications and internet policy, shapes American digital infrastructure, spectrum management, and online governance. A third important appointment should be tapping a pro-growth NTIA administrator who can harness the agency’s broad mandate to aid critical technologies: accelerating the rollout of 5G, creating regulatory paths for the deployment of satellite constellations, and deregulating broadband buildout to increase investment in underserved areas. A pro-free speech administrator could also push back against Big Tech and against efforts to centralize internet governance. With the right administrator, NTIA has the potential to drive telecommunication innovation and implement an America First digital agenda.

Fourth, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, which issues guidance relating to federal procurement, is so little known that it has gone without a Senate-confirmed administrator since 2021. But it’s a critical position all the same. The office’s essential work has included issuing guidance on AI acquisition and the domestic sourcing of goods. As Trump works to bring industry back to the U.S. and cut federal spending, he should appoint an OFPP administrator who can give teeth to Made in USA requirements and open new government functions to competitive bidding. The right OFPP administrator could help Trump cut waste and reshore American industry.

Finally, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security is responsible for regulating the export of “dual use” goods and services that might be used for either military or commercial uses. BIS’s director, the Undersecretary for Industry and Security, oversees regulations on exports and is therefore crucial for America’s technological competition with China. For example, export controls were introduced on advanced AI chips and semiconductor equipment in 2022, denying Beijing access to technologies necessary to power innovations in artificial intelligence and supercomputing. With mounting geopolitical tensions, the office needs a capable administrator. Trump should choose an undersecretary who will make sure the U.S. not only competes but succeeds.

Personnel is policy, for both prominent and obscure positions alike. The nominations of well-known figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard get all the attention, but these lesser-known positions will also be highly influential in the coming years, making it essential that the Trump administration appoint the right people for the jobs. Through these five appointments, the upcoming Trump administration can drive progress in its goals of securing American industry, cutting government spending, and supporting emerging technologies.

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