Brooke Rollins
American lawyer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brooke Leslie Rollins (born April 10, 1972)[2] is an American attorney and politician who has served as the 33rd United States secretary of agriculture since 2025.
Brooke Rollins | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 33rd United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
| Assumed office February 13, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Tom Vilsack |
| Director of the Domestic Policy Council | |
| Acting May 24, 2020 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Joe Grogan |
| Succeeded by | Susan Rice |
| Director of the Office of American Innovation and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives | |
| In office February 16, 2018 – May 24, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Jared Kushner |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| President of the Texas Public Policy Foundation | |
| In office January 1, 2003 – February 16, 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Judson |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Roberts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Brooke Leslie Rollins April 10, 1972[1] Glen Rose, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Mark Rollins |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent | Helen Kerwin (mother) |
| Education | Texas A&M University (BS) University of Texas at Austin (JD) |
Rollins previously served as deputy general counsel, ethics advisor, and policy director to Texas governor Rick Perry. From 2003 to 2018, Rollins led the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based conservative think tank.
Rollins was director of the Office of American Innovation[3][4] from 2018 until 2020 and the acting director of the United States Domestic Policy Council during Donald Trump's first presidency. In between Donald Trump's first and second administrations, Rollins co-founded the America First Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank established to promote an America First policy agenda.
Early life and career
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Perspective
Rollins's mother Helen Kerwin is a member of the Texas House of Representatives, a position to which she was elected in 2024.[5]
Rollins was raised on a farm in Glen Rose, Texas. She graduated Texas A&M University with a B.S. in agricultural development in 1994.[6] While at Texas A&M, Rollins was the first woman to be elected student body president. She also served as the speaker pro tempore of the Student Senate, the chair of the Texas A&M Judicial Court, as a Fish Camp counselor, and was Cotton Bowl Classic Queen.[7] In 2007, Rollins became the first female speaker at the College Station Aggie Muster, which honors deceased Texas A&M former students.[7]
Rollins earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law, graduating with honors.[8] After graduating from law school, Rollins worked for several years at Hughes & Luce, LLP in Dallas and clerked under U.S. Federal District Court judge Barbara M. Lynn. Rollins previously served as deputy general counsel, ethics advisor, and policy director to Texas governor Rick Perry.[7]
Rollins was the president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based conservative think tank, from 2003 through 2018.[9] During her tenure at TPPF, the think tank grew from having a staff of three to a staff of 100.[10] In 2011, Texas Monthly named Rollins one of the 25 most powerful Texans.[11] During her time at the foundation, it advocated to end agriculture subsidies for farmers and opposed ethanol-requirements for fuels.[12]
First Trump administration
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Perspective
Office of American Innovation
In February 2018, it was reported that Rollins would replace Reed Cordish, who served as an assistant for intergovernmental and technology initiatives, within the Office of American Innovation.[13] She subsequently joined the administration as the director of the Office of American Innovation and on September 6, 2018, also became the assistant to the president for strategic initiatives.[14]
Rollins was influential in encouraging the passage of the First Step Act, legislation that reforms the nation's prison system and seeks to reduce recidivism. The First Step Act was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018.[15]
Domestic Policy Council
In May 2020, President Trump named Rollins acting director of the United States Domestic Policy Council.[16][17][18]
In her first public interview as acting director of the Domestic Policy Council, Rollins said she was focused on bringing "together all sides of the table to figure out how we can move forward together."[19] She said the U.S. "is a nation in mourning for the senseless death of George Floyd and the senseless loss of livelihood all over this country." Rollins struck an optimistic tone on the country's future, saying "this is America and we have been through difficult times before. We are a nation of doers and believers and dreamers, and we are a nation where if anybody tells us to step back, we step three feet forward."[19]
Amid nationwide protests and racial unrest, Rollins said, "We need everyone to rise above the division and the divide and come together." She said the White House was "working through a list of solutions and possibilities, bipartisan. How do we come together? How do we use this as a unifying force for this country?"[20]
At an event announcing the signing of the new order, President Trump said his goal was to maintain law and order as well as justice and safety. He said, "Reducing crime and raising standards are not opposite goals. They are not mutually exclusive. They work together." According to Politico, the order was crafted "in consultation with police officers, mayors, conservative African Americans, faith-based leaders and the families of victims."[21]
Post-first Trump administration
After Trump's defeat in the 2020 presidential election, Rollins and Larry Kudlow began forming a new nonprofit organization focused on continuing to promote Trump's public policies.[22]
Rollins was the president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, founded in 2021 to plan and promote Trump's public policy agenda, as well as file election lawsuits in battleground states.[23][24] The organization is staffed with multiple current and former Trump administration officials, including Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.[24]
Rollins is a leader of the Save America Coalition, launched in 2021 to oppose Joe Biden's $3.5 trillion economic proposal.[25]
Secretary of Agriculture (2025–present)
Nomination and confirmation
On November 23, 2024, President-elect Trump announced his intent to nominate Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture.[26] Rollins is the second woman to hold the position, after Ann Veneman.[27] She appeared before the Senate Committee on Agriculture on January 23, 2025.[28] The committee advanced her nomination in a unanimous vote on February 3.[29]
On February 13, 2025, the Senate confirmed Rollins as the secretary of agriculture by a 72–28 vote.[30]
Tenure
On February 13, 2025, Rollins was sworn into office as the 33rd United States secretary of agriculture by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.[31][32]
Personal life
Rollins is married to Mark; they have four children.[33]
See also
References
External links
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