u.s. president-elect donald trump say thursday would nominate retire marine corps general jam mattis defense secretary late dozen pick announce high-level position since win nov. presidential election people mention contenders senior roles trump work form administration take office jan. 20 accord reuters source media report see end list post already fill mitt romney 2012 republican presidential nominee former massachusetts governor rudy giuliani republican former mayor new york city john bolton former u.s. ambassador unite nations republican president george w. bush bob corker republican u.s. senator tennessee chairman senate foreign relations committee retire marine corps general john kelly former leader southern command david petraeus retire general former cia director plead guilty mishandle classify information share biographer affair michael mccaul republican u.s. representative texas chairman house homeland security committee david clarke milwaukee county sheriff vocal trump supporter retire marine corps general john kelly former leader southern command joe arpaio outgo maricopa county arizona sheriff campaign trump kris kobach kansas secretary state frances townsend homeland security counterterrorism adviser republican former president george w. bush jeff holmstead energy lawyer former epa official george w. bush administration robert grady venture capitalist partner private equity firm gryphon investors leslie rutledge republican arkansas attorney general carol comer commissioner indiana department environmental management scott pruitt republican oklahoma attorney general kevin cramer republican u.s. representative north dakota robert grady venture capitalist partner private equity firm gryphon investors heidi heitkamp democratic u.s. senator north dakota joe manchin democratic senator west virginia gary cohn president goldman sachs group inc larry nichols co-founder devon energy corp jam connaughton chief executive nautilus data technologies former environmental adviser president george w. bush rick perry former republican texas governor forrest lucas founder oil products company lucas oil heidi heitkamp democratic u.s. senator north dakota robert grady venture capitalist partner private equity firm gryphon investors cathy mcmorris rodgers u.s. representative washington state house republican conference chair sarah palin former alaska governor 2008 republican vice presidential nominee jan brewer former republican arizona governor mary fallin republican oklahoma governor ray washburne chief executive investment company charter hold u.s. navy admiral mike rogers director national security agency ronald burgess retire u.s. army lieutenant general former defense intelligence agency chief robert cardillo director national geospatial-intelligence agency pete hoekstra former republican u.s. representative michigan rudy giuliani former republican mayor new york city dan dimicco former chief executive steel producer nucor corp andrew puzder chief executive officer cke restaurants lou barletta republican u.s. representative pennsylvania victoria lipnic u.s. equal employment opportunity commission member former labor department official george w. bush administration dr. ben carson former 2016 republican presidential candidate retire neurosurgeon gary cohn president goldman sachs group inc scott brown former republican u.s. senator massachusetts sarah palin former alaska governor 2008 republican vice presidential nominee jeff miller former republican u.s. representative florida chairman veterans affairs committee trump transition team confirm would choose list 21 name draw campaign include republican u.s. senator mike lee utah william pryor federal judge 11th u.s. circuit court appeal republican national committee chairman reince priebus steve bannon former head conservative website breitbart news jeff sessions republican u.s. senator alabama senior member senate judiciary committee subject senate confirmation republican u.s. representative mike pompeo kansas subject senate confirmation michael flynn retire army lieutenant general former director defense intelligence agency nikki haley republican south carolina governor subject senate confirmation betsy devos republican donor former chair michigan republican party subject senate confirmation tom price republican u.s. representative georgia orthopedic surgeon subject senate confirmation elaine chao former labor secretary deputy transportation secretary republican presidents george w. bush george h.w bush respectively subject senate confirmation chao marry senate majority leader mitch mcconnell steven mnuchin former goldman sachs group inc executive trump campaign finance chairman subject senate confirmation wilbur ross billionaire investor chairman invesco ltd subsidiary wl ross co subject senate confirmation jam mattis retire marine corps general subject senate confirmation contenders pick key job trump 's administration