Trump’s chief of staff in tight spot
WASHINGTON » White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus may have little left of his job but his title.
In the swirl of Shakespearean intrigue that surrounds Donald Trump’s White House, Priebus’ fortunes have long been a source of speculation, given his limited role, colorful band of rivals and the president’s public slights. Those questions sharply escalated this week with the arrival of Trump’s new communications director, who was hired over Priebus’ objections and has made it clear that he reports directly to the president.
Priebus’ already tense relationship with Anthony Scaramucci took a darker turn over the past 24 hours when the communications chief suggested in a late-night tweet that Priebus was one of the “leakers” that President Donald Trump has railed against. The New Yorker published an interview Thursday in which Scaramucci called Priebus a “paranoid schizophrenic.”
Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview Tuesday that no staff shake-up was imminent. But he has privately floated potential replacements for Priebus, including Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, deputy national security adviser Dina Powell, chief economic adviser Gary Cohn and former campaign adviser David Urban, according to three who’ve been in conversation with the president and senior staffers recently. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
The president often throws out names casually in conversation that end up going nowhere, and there is no indication that anyone has been approached about the job.
But Priebus’ power — always limited compared to past people with that title — has dwindled. Scaramucci is the latest top aide to be granted a direct line to Trump, and it has become increasingly unclear who actually reports to Priebus. The White House did not respond to requests for an organizational chart.
Priebus has grown increasingly isolated in the White House, as past Republican National Committee colleagues and other allies have left or been pushed out of the West Wing. Those who have departed include former deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh, outgoing press secretary Sean Spicer and press aide Michael Short.
The chief of staff made an appearance Thursday at an East Room event where Trump honored first responders, acting as if nothing was amiss, but was silent on the subject of his future.
Asked if Trump had confidence in his chief of staff, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not directly answer, saying: “I think I’ve addressed this question when it comes to staffing and personnel many times, that if the president doesn’t, then he’ll make that decision. We all serve at the pleasure of the president and if he gets to a place where that isn’t the case, he’ll let you know.”
Priebus did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
On-the-job humiliation is often part of the deal in Trump’s White House, as Priebus knows well. At a meeting of auto company CEOs in Michigan in March, Trump praised the executives and then said, “And then I look at Reince,” drawing scattered laughs with a tone that suggested Priebus was a less impressive presence. Trump quickly added that Priebus has “done a great job.”
Trump structured the White House in a way that undermined Priebus’ authority from day one. In a highly unusual arrangement, he said Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon would serve as “equal partners” in implementing his agenda.
In a typical White House, most staffers, including the communications director, report to the chief of staff. But in Trump’s White House, a long list of top advisers bypass the middle man. Scaramucci, social media director Dan Scavino and counselor Kellyanne Conway all report directly to Trump, as do the president’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, both senior advisers.
“I plan on continuing to serve and report directly to President @realDonaldTrump at the @WhiteHouse, as I’ve done since 1/20/2017,” Scavino tweeted over the weekend.