January 15, 2025 Readout of White House Presidential Transition Exercise

January 15, 2025

Readout of White House Presidential Transition Exercise

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Today, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall convened current and future Cabinet members to conduct a statutorily-mandated Principals-Level Presidential Transition Exercise in accordance with President Biden’s direction to carry out a professional transition. This traditional meeting provided a structured opportunity to share lessons learned over the last four years and help the incoming team prepare to protect the Homeland beginning at 12 noon on January 20, 2025. Over the course of two hours, current and future Cabinet members discussed a range of scenarios, including preventing and responding to terrorist attacks as well as managing pathogens like avian flu. Participants underscored the interconnectedness between homeland incidents and global challenges. Participants in the dynamic and interactive discussion included:

Outgoing Administration 

Secretary of Homeland Security Ali Mayorkas

Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Kristie Canegallo  

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell

Attorney General Merrick Garland

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dennis McDonough

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kath Hicks

Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs ADM Chris Grady

Small Business Administrator Isabel Guzman

Deputy Director for National Intelligence for Mission Integration Morgan Muir

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochi Torres-Small

Acting Under Secretary of State for Policy John Bass

Deputy Sectary of Energy David Turk

Acting EPA Administrator Jane Nishida

Acting NCTC Director Brett Holmgren

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant ADM Linda Fagan 

Deputy Director of the FBI Paul Abbate

Deputy Director of CISA Nitin Natarajan 

Director of the CDC Dr. Many Cohen (virtual)

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (HHS) Dawn O’Connell

Administrator of TSA Dave Pekoske 

Incoming Administration 

Secretary of Homeland Security Nominee Kristi Noem

Secretary of Transportation Nominee Sean Duffy

Secretary of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Nominee Douglas Collins

Secretary of State Nominee Marco Rubio

Director of National Intelligence Nominee TulsiGabbard

Secretary of Energy Nominee Chris Wright

Administrator of the EPA Nominee Lee Zeldin

Secretary of Commerce Nominee Howard Lutnick

Secretary of Labor Nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer  

Deputy Secretary of HHS Nominee Jim O’Neill

Secretary of Education Nominee Linda McMahon

Secretary of Treasury Nominee Scott Bessent  

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Nominee Scott Turner

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz

Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Alex Wong

Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hasset