The U.S. Senate has confirmed Kelly Loeffler, a Georgia businesswoman and former senator, as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). The confirmation vote, held on February 19, 2025, concluded with a 52-46 majority in favor of Loeffler’s appointment.
Loeffler, who previously served as a U.S. Senator from Georgia from 2020 to 2021, brings a wealth of business experience to the SBA. Before her political career, she was the Chief Executive Officer of Bakkt, a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange, and co-owned the WNBA team, the Atlanta Dream. Her tenure in the Senate was marked by her strong support for President Donald Trump’s policies, and she has remained an active figure in conservative political circles since leaving office.
During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee on January 28, 2025, Loeffler outlined her vision for the SBA. She emphasized the need to reduce regulatory burdens on small business owners and enhance access to SBA-backed loans and grants. Loeffler stated that President Trump’s policies would “restore the small business economy,” leading to a “golden era of prosperity and growth.” She highlighted the importance of ending inflation, cutting taxes, unleashing American energy dominance, slashing regulation, and reining in fraud, waste, and abuse across government.
The confirmation vote saw support primarily along party lines, with most Republicans backing Loeffler’s appointment. Notably, Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada was the sole Democrat to vote in favor. Georgia’s Democratic Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, opposed the confirmation. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given Loeffler’s extensive business holdings and her previous tenure in the Senate, during which she was among the wealthiest members.
As the new head of the SBA, Loeffler will oversee an agency dedicated to supporting small businesses through counseling, capital, and contracting expertise. Her appointment adds to the roster of affluent individuals in President Trump’s second-term cabinet, reflecting the administration’s emphasis on private-sector experience in public service roles.
