Trump Finds New Role for Top Donor He Bypassed for Agriculture Secretary
Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler will be joining the Trump administration after all.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler as his pick to lead the Small Business Administration.
Writing on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump announced that Loeffler, 53, would be taking on the Cabinet-level position (previously held by Linda McMahon during his first term)—where she’d “bring her experience in business and Washington to reduce red tape, and unleash opportunity for our Small Businesses to grow, innovate and thrive.”
“She will focus on ensuring that SBA is accountable to Taxpayers by cracking down on waste, fraud, and regulatory overreach,” the President-elect continued, before going on to praise her work as a senator and applauding her past career in finance.
U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) reacts to her supporters during an Election Night party at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta In Buckhead on November 03, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The current co-chair of Trump’s second inaugural committee, Loeffler is married to billionaire Jeffrey Sprecher, an avid Trump donor and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange, which owns the New York Stock Exchange. Following a 25-year career in financial services and technology, Loeffler was appointed to serve in the Senate, where she represented Georgia from 2020 to 2021 after replacing Sen. Johnny Isakson, who stepped aside for health reasons.
A fierce Trump ally, Loeffler fundraised for the future 47th president throughout his 2024 re-election campaign. She notably raised several million during a debate watch party she hosted with Republican National Committee Chair Michael Watley over the summer.
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The president-elect also credits Loeffler and her husband for his pivotal Georgia win this year, writing as much in his Truth Social post Wednesday.
Loeffler was previously in consideration to take on the role of Trump’s agriculture secretary, per a CNN report published last month. The president-elect ultimately offered the role to attorney and policy adviser Brooke Rollins.
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