Reince Priebus Named Chief Of Staff
President-elect Donald Trump has named RNC Chair Reince Priebus as his chief of staff, and Breitbart News’ Stephen Bannon as his chief strategist and senior counselor.Â
Bannon, who served as Trump’s campaign CEO, turned Breitbart News into a platform for the white nationalist “alt-right.”Â
Chief of staff has traditionally been the highest-ranking White House employee, but Bannon could end up playing a major role. For instance, in President George W. Bush’s White House, senior adviser Karl Rove was far more visible and influential than Chief of Staff Andy Card. (For more background on Bannon, check out this piece by former Breitbart staffer Ben Shapiro.)
Bannon is listed first in a press release (above) announcing the appointments, and Trump’s base has been critical of Priebus. On Saturday, Trump ally Roger Stone warned on Twitter that naming Priebus chief of staff would result in “rebellion.”Â
Jenny Beth Martin, president of the Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund, also urged Trump not to select Priebus.Â
“Appointing Reince Priebus (or any other DC establishment insider) would make it more difficult, not less, for President Trump to achieve the change the people voted for. It’s time to drain the swamp — not promote insiders beholden to the Washington establishment who helped create it,” Martin said.Â
Reaction from Twitter below.Â