Trump picks RNC Chairman Reince Priebus as chief of staff
President-elect Donald Trump has picked Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as the chief of staff for his new administration, his transition team announced Sunday.
Priebus remained neutral during the combative GOP primaries but embraced Trump when he emerged the victor, even as leading party figures — including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney — publicly bucked his candidacy.
Last week, Priebus was said to be running neck-and-neck with Trump’s campaign CEO, Breitbart News chief Stephen Bannon, to serve as the official gatekeeper for the incoming president.
Bannon will serve as chief strategist and senior counselor, accroding to a news release that mentioned his name before that of Priebus.
“Bannon and Priebus will continue the effective leadership team they formed during the campaign, working as equal partners to transform the federal government, making it much more efficient, effective and productive,” the statement said.
Trump was also quoted as saying: “I am thrilled to have my very successful team continue with me in leading our country.”
“Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory. Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again,” Trump added.
Priebus is a longtime Washington DC insider whose selection as chief of staff should go a long way toward cementing Trump’s relationship with the GOP establishment.
Bannon would likley have enflamed relations with congressional leaders — including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who have come under fire on his “alt-right” Web site.
Priebus, a married father of two, is in his third term as Republican chairman. Reports have said he could coast to a fourth if he wanted to keep the job.
Trump spent Sunday conferring with top advisors inside his Trump Tower penthouse.
Former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway — who on Thursday said she’d been offered an administration post — arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and spent nearly 3-1/2 hours upstairs.
Campaign surrogate Boris Epshteyn arrived about 10 minutes after Conway left, followed by ex-campaign spokesman Jason Miller and Sean Spicer, the RNC’s chief strategist and communications director.
Retired US Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn — who served as Trump’s military advisor and was named a vice chairman of his transition team on Friday — went upstairs around 3:40 p.m.
Trump is considering Flynn as his national security advisor or secretary of defense, according to NBC.
President-elect Donald Trump has picked Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as the chief of staff for his new administration, his transition team announced Sunday.
Priebus remained neutral during the combative GOP primaries but embraced Trump when he emerged the victor, even as leading party figures — including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney — publicly bucked his candidacy.
Last week, Priebus was said to be running neck-and-neck with Trump’s campaign CEO, Breitbart News chief Stephen Bannon, to serve as the official gatekeeper for the incoming president.
Bannon will serve as chief strategist and senior counselor, accroding to a news release that mentioned his name before that of Priebus.
“Bannon and Priebus will continue the effective leadership team they formed during the campaign, working as equal partners to transform the federal government, making it much more efficient, effective and productive,” the statement said.
Trump was also quoted as saying: “I am thrilled to have my very successful team continue with me in leading our country.”
“Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory. Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again,” Trump added.
Priebus is a longtime Washington DC insider whose selection as chief of staff should go a long way toward cementing Trump’s relationship with the GOP establishment.
Bannon would likley have enflamed relations with congressional leaders — including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who have come under fire on his “alt-right” Web site.
Priebus, a married father of two, is in his third term as Republican chairman. Reports have said he could coast to a fourth if he wanted to keep the job.
Trump spent Sunday conferring with top advisors inside his Trump Tower penthouse.
Former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway — who on Thursday said she’d been offered an administration post — arrived shortly before 10 a.m. and spent nearly 3-1/2 hours upstairs.
Campaign surrogate Boris Epshteyn arrived about 10 minutes after Conway left, followed by ex-campaign spokesman Jason Miller and Sean Spicer, the RNC’s chief strategist and communications director.
Retired US Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn — who served as Trump’s military advisor and was named a vice chairman of his transition team on Friday — went upstairs around 3:40 p.m.
Trump is considering Flynn as his national security advisor or secretary of defense, according to NBC.
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