WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the possibility of being asked by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of Agriculture:
“It’s an honor to be mentioned as a potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, but my plans are to remain in the Senate and continue to deliver for the people of Mississippi. As a former state agriculture commissioner and with my current committee assignments, I remain wholeheartedly committed to the ag community, its growth, and its success. President Trump will always have my support, and I believe I can be most valuable to him and our country’s farmers and ranchers through my work in the U.S. Senate, particularly as we work toward a new farm bill and address other agricultural and economic issues. As I have stated previously, I plan to seek re-election in 2026.”
Senator Hyde-Smith was one of many names on the list that is growing of potential picks to lead USDA under the incoming Trump administration. Other names that have been removed from the list in recent days include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who was appointed to the Department of Interior, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was name as the head of Health and Human Services.
See our initial reporting earlier Friday below: