What would happen if a Utahn were tapped for the upcoming Trump administration?

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — As President-elect Donald Trump is naming picks for his administration, many are wondering if he will pick anyone from Utah.

To get a better idea of what it may look like — and what it would mean if a Utahn were asked to be part of the Cabinet — ABC4.com stopped by the Hinckley Institute of Politics .

Jason Perry, the director of the Hinckley Institute, said that a Utahn being tapped for Trump's administration is "entirely possible."

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"We have some very high-profile names — people we know well in the state of Utah — that are on the list they're talking about in D.C.," Perry said.

Perry said Utahns don't often serve on a presidential Cabinet — but it isn't unheard of. One example he gave was former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, who left Utah to run the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services.

"It happens because people do like Utahns, and once they're in these positions, it just enhances our reputation," Perry said.

So, what would happen if a high-profile name — like Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) — were chosen for a role in the Trump administration?

"It just doesn't mean we'll get a new senator — sometimes it means we lose a lot of seniority out there as well, which, you know, Washington, D.C. is one of those places that runs on seniority," Perry said. "If you lose a senator, we lose a prime position sometimes."

An appointment for someone who is not a Utahn could still impact the Beehive State. For example, Trump is expected to appoint Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) as United Nations ambassador.

One choice to replace Stefanik in a leadership position is Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT), but in a tweet, he said he is not planning on it .

Even so, Perry said there is a "pretty good chance" that Utah will be impacted by the changes in the federal government. Perry said Utahns should keep their eye on changes in agencies like the Bureau of Land Management .

"There are very few states that have as much interest in public lands than the state of Utah," he said.

However, he noted that the positions closest to the president will have the most impact on the state if someone from Utah is chosen.

"Sometimes, they're in a position where they can help the state of Utah through appropriations or grants, or just in terms of policy," Perry said. "It's good to have people who we know looking out for the state in positions nationally."

What's next? Following the 2024 election, President-elect Trump has a transition period of roughly 75 days to prepare for his upcoming term. There are roughly 4,000 positions to fill with appointees, according to the Associated Press .

No Utahns have been selected for roles in the Trump administration as of yet.

According to the White House website , the President of the United States appoints leaders of 15 executive departments, as well as the heads of more than 50 federal commissions and other federal offices.

Once a president appoints the leaders of the executive departments, the Senate confirms the chosen individuals. The Cabinet itself is made up of the heads of the following 15 executive departments, according to the White House:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Defense

Department of Education

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of the Interior

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of the Treasury

Department of Veterans Affairs

So far, President-elect Trump has appointed Matt Gaetz as attorney general Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense , and John Ratcliffe as CIA director , among other positions.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been selected to lead an advisory group that is set to focus on cutting federal spending and reducing the size of the government.

The Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022 requires that a transition process must begin five days after an election, even if the winner of the election is in dispute, the AP said. Trump is expected to build out his team by Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2025.