Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called his likely successor at the Agriculture Department, Brooke Rollins, and left a voicemail — but hasn’t received a response, he told reporters Friday.
“I received her cellphone number from a senator who had visited with her, and I called, I used it immediately, called her and left a message,” Vilsack said. “At any point in time, if she thinks it’s appropriate and necessary, and she would like to talk, I’d be more than happy to talk to her.”
President-elect Donald Trump announced Nov. 23 that he will nominate Rollins to be his Agriculture secretary. The co-founder and leader of the Trump-allied America First Policy Institute think tank served as acting director of the Domestic Policy Council in his first term and is close to Trump, but she has little formal agriculture policy experience.
Rollins is expected to be confirmed and has begun meeting with senators on Capitol Hill.
