Since Friday, virtually all official eyes in Washington, D.C., have been on the sudden exit of Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff and his replacement by Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly.
Over the weekend, speculation began on who President Trump will tap to replace Kelly at Homeland Security. At this point, the buzz centers on two seasoned Washington insiders: John Pistole, former head of the Transportation Security Administration and now president of Anderson (Ind.) University, and Tom Homan, acting head of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Former FBI agent Pistole, 61, was interviewed by Trump to be the bureau's director and reportedly was the "runner-up" to his eventual pick Christopher Wray. Working in Pistole's favor for the Homeland Security appointment is his close friendship with Vice President and fellow Hoosier Mike Pence.
Career lawman Homan, 56, has won high marks from the White House press corps for his briefings on seizure of criminals in the U.S. illegally. On Friday, he traveled with the President on Air Force One and was with Trump when he addressed police in Suffolk County, New York.
There was also mention of House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, R-Texas, and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, both hardline foes of illegal immigration. But McCaul is considered unlikely to leave the House and Kobach is already running for governor next year as well as serving as vice chairman of the President’s commission to investigation voter fraud.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.