President-elect Donald Trump kicked off his "thank you" tour in Cincinnati by reiterating campaign promises and touting his Cabinet picks.

  • Trump, Pence amid nationwide 'thank you' tour
  • Trump announces Defense Secretary pick in Cincinnati
  • Retired Gen. James Mattis was a top commander in Middle East
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"We have a great, great cabinet, I tell you. It's coming,” Trump told thousands of fans in his first major public appearance since Election Day.

In recent weeks, Trump has met with several cabinet picks, such as nominee for commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross. Betsy Devos would head up the Department of Education, and Steve Mnuchin would become Treasury Secretary.

Mnuchin spent years at Goldman Sachs and reportedly made millions selling his company at the height of the mortgage crisis.

During the Ohio rally on Thursday, Trump revealed another pick, stunning his own aides, according to the Associated Press.

"I don't want to tell you... I don't want to save the suspense next week," he teased. But “we are going to appoint 'Mad Dog' Mattis as our Secretary of Defense.”

Retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis was top commander in the Middle East. He retired in 2013 and would need a waiver from Congress to be confirmed; a statute requires a seven-year gap from military to civilian service for this job.

Not everyone is cheering for Trump’s picks, thus far.

“Donald Trump campaigned on the promise that he would drain the swamp. Instead, he is flooding it with America's wealthiest elites," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

The president-elect continued his "thank you" tour Friday, sending Vice-President elect Mike Pence to New Orleans.