Trump nominates Howard Lutnick for Commerce secretary

Howard Lutnick has served as President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team cochair.

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated billionaire finance executive Howard Lutnick as his next Commerce secretary.

“He will lead our Tariff and Trade agenda, with additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United States Trade Representative,” Trump said in a statement first posted on Truth Social and later released by his transition team.

“Howard has created the most sophisticated process and system to assist us in creating the greatest Administration America has ever seen,” Trump said.

Lutnick, who has served as Trump’s transition team cochair alongside WWE chief Linda McMahon, had been previously seen as a frontrunner for the Treasury secretary position.

Lutnick even garnered the support of Elon Musk for the role. But despite some powerful backing, according to multiple reports, Lutnick’s private jockeying for the wore on those around Trump.

Now, with Lutnick out of the picture, Trump is likely nearing his final decision for his last major Cabinet appointment.

Commerce secretary will be a pivotal role in the Trump administration, given economic concerns played a key role in fueling Trump’s victory.

The chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, Lutnick is a New York financial powerhouse. He’s known Trump for decades, and has hosted fundraisers for the president-elect and appeared on TV as a surrogate.

He spoke onstage at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, touting the tariffs of yesteryear and Musk’s forthcoming DOGE initiative alongside the Tesla billionaire.

Lutnick is best known for steering Cantor Fitzgerald through the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Previously located at the top of one of the World Trade Center towers, the firm suffered more deaths than any other company that day — roughly two-thirds of its workforce.

Lutnick lost his brother but survived because he happened to be taking his son to school that morning.