President-elect Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he nominated Brooke Rollins as the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
“It is my Great Honor to nominate Brooke L. Rollins, from the Great State of Texas, to serve as the 33rd United States Secretary of Agriculture,” wrote Trump in a statement, per The Washington Post.
“Brooke’s commitment to support the American Farmer, defense of American Food Self-Sufficiency, and the restoration of Agriculture-dependent American Small Towns is second to none,” Trump continued.
Rollins previously served as the director of the Domestic Policy Council during Trump’s first term as president and worked as an assistant on intergovernmental and technology initiatives, according to NPR.
Before joining Trump in his first term as president, Rollins graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development. She then went on to get a law degree at the University of Texas School of Law.
Rollins then became the leader of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Austin, as reported by The Post.
Although Rollins needs Senate confirmation to be officially elected Secretary of Agriculture, the expectation is that this process will be quick and that she will be confirmed without any issues.
Rollins will have a variety of responsibilities relating to the agriculture industry once she is officially confirmed by the Senate, including the oversight of farm subsidies, nutritional programs, and overall food inspection concerning agriculture, per the BBC.
Another aspect of Rollins’ role is the potential trade negotiations between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, which are expected to be heavily related to Trump’s proposed tariff plan.
This nomination makes Rollins the second woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, following in the footsteps of Ann Veneman, who was in the role during President George W. Bush’s administration, per NPR.
Rollins quickly responded to the news that she was nominated for the position, posting on social media to thank the President-elect for his trust and nomination.
“It will be the honor of my life to fight for America’s farmers and our Nation’s agricultural communities. This is big stuff for a small-town ag girl from Glen Rose, TX — truly the American Dream at its greatest,” wrote Rollins in the post to X.