Trump 2.0: Estimated Cabinet Salaries – How Much Would Elon Musk Earn?

President-elect Donald Trump has spent the last few days assembling the cabinet and administrative departments for his second term in the White House. The Republican must nominate leaders for 15 government agencies and other administration jobs. He started off by picking Susie Wiles as his chief of staff. Mike Huckabee, John Ratcliffe and Tom Homan will also hold key positions in Trump’s adminsitration.

On Tuesday, Trump announced that Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk will co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy.

However, voters are now wondering how much will each of these picks earn. We decided to dive in. Here’s an overview of potential salary estimates for the individuals named in President-elect Donald Trump’s announced appointments, based on government pay scales and comparable roles in previous administrations (Note: These are just estimates, specific data is not available yet). These figures reflect 2024 government pay standards and provide a general estimate based on SES and ES levels for comparable roles.

For further details, these salaries follow the Executive Schedule (ES) and Senior Executive Service (SES) pay tables as per official government sources.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, Co-Heads of Government Efficiency: Since they’re heading a new department, this role may align with high-level executive pay grades, such as Senior Executive Service (SES) Level 1, with a maximum salary of approximately $246,400 annually.

John Ratcliffe, CIA Director: Typically a role under the Executive Schedule (ES) Level II, CIA Director salaries are set around $231,400 annually.

William McGinley, White House Counsel: White House Counsels typically fall within SES Level I or comparable ES pay schedules, around $246,400 annually.

Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel: Ambassadors’ salaries vary, but they generally align with the Senior Foreign Service pay scale, around $183,500 annually, based on Foreign Service and SES guidelines.

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense: As a Cabinet position, this role is set at ES Level I, with a salary of approximately $246,400 annually.

Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff: White House Chiefs of Staff are often compensated at a high SES level, with salaries around $183,500 to $200,000.

Tom Homan, Border Czar: Senior roles in security can vary but are typically SES positions, ranging from $183,500 to $246,400 depending on responsibilities.

Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations: Ambassadorial roles, particularly to the UN, can earn salaries close to $183,500 to $200,000 in line with high-level diplomatic pay scales.

Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator: As head of the EPA, his role is likely aligned with ES Level I salaries, approximately $246,400.

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State: Secretaries of State are paid at ES Level I, with salaries around $246,400.

Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser: National Security Advisers often earn around $183,500 to $200,000 within the White House staff pay structure.

Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security: Also an ES Level I position, the salary would be approximately $246,400 annually.