Brooke Rollins
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
Brooke Rollins has had a distinguished career rooted in conservative policy advocacy and public service. Rollins began her policy career as deputy general counsel and policy director under Governor Rick Perry and later led the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where she co-founded the Right on Crime initiative, promoting conservative criminal justice reform. In 2018, she joined the Trump administration as director of the Office of American Innovation, a role created by Jared Kushner to drive government modernization and innovation. Rollins co-authored Vision 2025, a policy blueprint for the Trump administration, and co-founded the America First Policy Institute in 2021 to advance conservative policy goals. During her confirmation hearings, Rollins faced scrutiny over her previous statements about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as Republican budget bills had proposed significant cuts to the program, contradicting her earlier assertions that no changes were planned.
Rollins helped launch Right on Crime, a reform campaign funded by the ultra-wealthy.
Texas Public Policy Foundation
Brooke Rollins' rise in conservative politics stems from her early interests in pageantry and campus leadership at Texas A&M, where she became the university's first female student body president. After law school and a brief legal career, she joined then-Governor Rick Perry’s staff and was later recommended to lead the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a struggling conservative think tank. As TPPF president, Rollins transformed the organization into a major force on the Texas right by leveraging her upbeat, unifying leadership style rather than deep policy expertise. She built strong ties with influential Republicans like Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, and attracted funding from major conservative donors including Koch Industries and ExxonMobil.
Right on Crime
Rollins became especially active in criminal justice reform, aligning her Christian values with libertarian goals of shrinking government. In 2007, she helped launch Right on Crime, a reform campaign that gained national traction and bipartisan support. This work solidified her status as a respected conservative institution-builder and helped pave her way into the Trump administration, where she became a key policy adviser.
Jared Kushner curated a role specifically for Brooke Rollins during Trump’s first term.
Office of American Innovation
In early 2018, Brooke Rollins joined the Trump White House as director of the Office of American Innovation, a low-profile role created by Jared Kushner. Though initially seen as a step down from her think tank leadership, Rollins used the position to push criminal justice reform, working closely with Kushner to pass the bipartisan First Step Act in December 2018—despite internal opposition from Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Domestic Policy Council
Rollins’ influence grew as she expanded her policy reach, earning a reputation for ambition and policy activism, symbolized by her signature white binders. In May 2020, Trump appointed her acting director of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) after a prior nominee was rejected. Her tenure came during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests over racial justice, where she took a notably conciliatory stance, acknowledging systemic issues and helping draft Trump’s police reform executive order—drawing backlash from some conservatives.
Vision 2025
Behind the scenes, Rollins also co-authored Vision 2025, a policy roadmap for a potential second Trump term. After the January 6 Capitol riot, she described initial heartbreak but quickly reframed the event as motivation to “double down” on her mission, launching into her next project with renewed purpose after Trump’s loss.
America First Policy Institute
Rollins helped form the America First Policy Institute
Rollins played a major role in Trump’s first administration as director of the Domestic Policy Council and later helped found AFPI, a nonprofit think tank designed to advance Trump's post-presidency agenda. At AFPI, Rollins spearheaded efforts to institutionalize "America First" policies, positioning the group as a policy hub for a potential second Trump term. Her leadership there emphasized deregulation, reduced federal oversight, and promoting conservative stances on immigration, education, and agriculture — all of which are expected to shape her approach at USDA.
Rollins' Responsibilities as the head of the Department of Agriculture
Rollins would oversees nearly 100,000 employees and major programs like SNAP (food stamps), WIC, and school meal regulation, as well as agricultural subsidies and rural broadband and housing initiatives. She would also likely play a key role in executing Trump’s promises to cut federal bureaucracy and revive trade policies such as tariffs, which previously impacted U.S. farmers.
Rollins believes Trump's tariffs will protect American industries.
During an April 14 visit to Talview Dairy Farm in Lebanon County, Brooke Rollins joined Sen. Dave McCormick, Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, and Rep. Dan Meuser to promote Trump’s tariff policies and reassure farmers amid growing concerns about trade, labor, and nutrition program funding. Rollins argued that Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods are part of a “transformative” trade reset to protect American industries, despite current market disruptions. She promised relief payments would be available if farmers face financial harm, echoing the previous administration's use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds during the U.S.-China trade war.
Republicans, and Rollins, are saying there will be no changes to SNAP, yet their budget proposals cut SNAP significantly.
On nutrition assistance, Rollins pushed back against Pennsylvania leaders who criticized the USDA for canceling certain food bank and school food programs. She claimed “the money is there” and accused Gov. Josh Shapiro of politicizing the issue. Rep. Glenn Thompson added that there would be no cuts to SNAP, despite Republican budget proposals suggesting otherwise.
According to the Iowa Hunger Coalition, these would be the changes:
Work Requirements:
Rollins emphasized enforcing rules requiring able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) to work or participate in job training to remain eligible for SNAP. States can request waivers, but Rollins warned against "abusing" this option, pushing for waivers to be limited to those who "truly need it." Critics like Luke Elzinga of the Iowa Hunger Coalition say the move reinforces harmful stereotypes and may force people off SNAP without improving their economic situation.
Citizenship Status:
A second memo instructed states to more aggressively verify applicants' immigration and citizenship status, using tools like the SAVE program, now offered at no cost. Rollins warned against benefits going to “ineligible aliens,” despite the fact that undocumented immigrants are already barred from SNAP. Advocates worry this could deter eligible immigrants or mixed-status families from applying due to fear or confusion.
Administrative Processing
Rollins also sent a letter to governors calling for faster SNAP application processing, noting more than 30 states, including Iowa, fail to meet the required 30-day window. Iowa’s 2023 timeliness was just 77%, and Elzinga acknowledged that improvements in processing would be helpful.
Funding Concerns:
Rollins' push comes as Congress considers $230 billion in cuts to the USDA budget, possibly affecting SNAP and other food aid programs. Advocates stress that cuts come at a time of record food insecurity, with increased demand at food banks
Rollins suggested replacing illegal farm workers with the 34 million adults in on Medicaid.
At a July 8, 2025 press conference, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced there will be “no amnesty” for migrants, reaffirming the Trump administration’s commitment to mass deportations as part of its push for a “100% American workforce.” Rollins pointed to 34 million able-bodied adults on Medicaid as a replacement labor pool, suggesting they could fill jobs vacated by deported immigrants. She emphasized that deportations must be strategic to avoid disrupting the food supply and said long-term solutions include workforce automation and structural reforms. The statement came during the rollout of the National Farm Security Action Plan and was backed by other top Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.