Joe Kent, Michael Ellis and Sean Parnell, the latest additions to the Trump administration

Donald Trump announced new additions to his government. Nearly two weeks from the start of his second stint in the White House, and in the midst of a trade tug-of-war with Mexico, Canada and China, the president-elect took to his Truth Social account to communicate the new names that will take their places in his administration. 

Trump welcomed Joe Kent, Michael Ellis and Sean Parnell, who have stood out for their loyalty to him over the past few years.

Joe Kent to head National Counterterrorism Center

Now 45, Kent spent several years in the Army before working at the CIA Special Activities Center during the first Trump administration. In 2022, he was a candidate for Congress for Washington state's 3rd congressional district.

While he defeated Republican incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler, he was defeated by a very narrow margin by Marie Gluesenkamp Perez. In fact, he lost by only 3,000 votes out of more than 318,000 cast.

In 2024 he once again challenged Perez, but fell a second time in the general election. He ended up with 48% of the vote to his Democratic challenger's 51%. In both of his races he won the endorsements of Trump and members of the House Freedom Caucus.

Kent is the widower of Shannon Kent, who served in the Navy and died during the Manbij attack of 2019 during the Syrian Civil War.

"It is my pleasure to nominate Joe Kent as the Director of the National Counter Terrorism Center. As a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life. Above all, Joe knows the terrible cost of terrorism, losing his wonderful wife, Shannon, a Great American Hero, who was killed in the fight against ISIS. Joe continues to honor her legacy by staying in the fight. Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard," Trump said on his Truth Social account.

Sean Parnell as Pentagon spokesman

Although it may have gone unnoticed, Parnell was the first choice Trump endorsed in the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election. However, the candidate himself ended up stepping aside due to family issues.

Two years later, he will be part of the second Trump Administration as assistant secretary of defense for public affairs and chief Pentagon spokesman.

"I am pleased to announce that Sean Parnell will be the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, and Chief Pentagon Spokesman. A Great American Patriot, Sean is a fearless Combat Veteran, who led one of the most decorated units in the Afghanistan War. He earned two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, while his platoon achieved an incredible record of eliminating over 350 enemy fighters. During my First Term, Sean was also instrumental helping pass the MISSION ACT, the BIGGEST VA Reform in History. Congratulations to Sean, his wonderful wife, and their five children!" the president wrote.

Michael Ellis as deputy director of the CIA

Finally, Trump nominated attorney Michael Ellis as deputy director of the CIA. He is a Republican with experience in the Bush administration and in Trump's first stint in the White House.

"Michael is a smart and highly respected lawyer who graduated from Yale University and Dartmouth College. He is General Counsel of Rumble, a multibillion dollar social media company, which has strongly protected our Right to Free Speech. He will now help our fantastic CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, fix the CIA, and make it, once again, the Greatest Intelligence Agency in the World," Trump wrote on Truth Social.