(MENAFN- Live Mint) Donald trump is all set to return to the White House as the 47th president of the United States. In his second term, Trump has surrounded himself with a highly interconnected lobby of wealthy tech tycoons. The upcoming Trump administration is beyond Political ties. Their friendships and professional relations go back to decades.
Elon Musk, David Sacks and Peter Thiel - three influential allies, all members of the so-called "PayPal Mafia" - appear to be driving policy and staffing choices in Trump's incoming administration.
Most Trump 2.0 officials have connections with Musk, Sacks, and Thiel, tech moguls who wield influence across all departments.
Here's a look at key names that will be a part of the upcoming Trump administration.
1. JD Vance
JD Vance, who once compared Donald Trump to "Hitler" and called him“an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs”, is set to enter the White House as Vice President in Trump 2.0.
Trump's running mate, who graduated from Yale Law School, is closely connected to the "PayPal Mafia". Thiel donated $15 million to support Vance when he ran for the US Senate in 2022, and Sacks donated $900,000 during the Senate election.
Elon Musk supported Vance as Trump's vice presidential pick in the hours after the official announcement was made and gave $250 million to boost the Trump-Vance ticket. David Sacks also pushed Donald Trump to pick him as his running mate.
Marine Corps veteran and author of the best-selling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" will become the third-youngest vice president in US history.
2. Gail Slater
Donald Trump has picked Gail Slater to lead the antitrust division of the Department of Justice. She served in Trump's first term in the White House and was an economic adviser to JD Vance in the Senate.
3. Shyam Sankar
Donald Trump has shortlisted Shyam Sankar for a job at the Pentagon, according to the reports. Sankar is the Chief Technology Officer at Palantir Technologies, which Peter Thiel co-founded.
4. Vivek Ramaswamy
Trump has appointed Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy as co-head of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with Elon Musk. Ramaswamy is also closely connected to Peter Thiel, who has invested in Ramaswamy's fund, Strive Asset Management.
5. Jim O'Neill
Jim O'Neill, the upcoming deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, is also connected to Thiel. He has worked at two of Peter Thiel's funds, Clarium Capital and Mithril Capital, and for the Thiel Foundation. JD Vance and Jim O'Neill overlapped at Mithril Capital, a Peter Thiel-founded fund, starting in 2016.
6. Trae Stephens
Trae Stephens, who has been reportedly considered for a job at the Pentagon, also works at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and previously worked at Palantir Technologies, which Thiel co-founded.
7. Blake Masters
Reportedly, Trump has considered Blake Masters for several possible roles including ATF director. He is also closely linked to Peter Thiel and has worked for Thiel Capital and Thiel Foundation. David Sacks, White House AI and Crypto Czar nominee, donated to Blake Masters' two campaigns in Arizona.
8. Trae Stephens
Trae Stephens, who is being considered for a job at the Pentagon, works at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and previously worked at Palantir Technologies, which Thiel co-founded.
9. Michael Kratsios
Michael Kratsios, who would lead the White House science office, has also worked for two of Peter Thiel's funds, Thiel Capital and Clarium Capital.
10. Jared Isaacman
Donald Trump has picked Jared Isaacman to be NASA's administrator. He has flown to space twice with SpaceX, where Elon Musk is CEO.
11. Jacob Helberg
Soon-to-be undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, Jacob Helberg is a senior adviser to Palantir Technologies, which Peter Thiel co-founded.
12. Marc Andreessen
Marc Andreessen , who is the co-owner of X, invested in the upcoming vice president JD Vance's fund, Narya Capital, in 2020. He has also donated to a pro-Donald Trump super PAC (political action committee).
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