Who’s who of Trump’s trusted lieutenants
Christie as his running mate, because the New Jersey governor had as US attorney in 2005 brought down Kushner’s father Charles Kushner and thrown him in jail.
Kushner, who is Jewish, also helped his father-in-law reach out to the powerful Jewish lobby, and helped him deal with blowback from an anti-semitic re-tweet.
Chief executive Stephen Bannon, who headed ultra-conservative Breitbart News, is a colorful and combative figure much in the mold of Trump himself.
He has been a harsh critic of the party establishment and has encouraged Trump to run as himself, an outsider with a strong populist message and appeal.
Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway is a veteran Republican party pollster and strategist who had headed a political action group backing Tex Cruz during primaries.
The ousted head of Fox News Roger Ailes, who has been a longtime friend, is said to be helping the nominee prepare for the debates. Ailes brings a formidable reputation and experience, having helped three Republican presidents before: Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H W Bush. He is best known for making Nixon, a very awkward candidate , acceptable. Roger Stone, a long-time party operative, is often called the “dirty trickster” . He is supposed to be close to Trump despite leaving the campaign last August.
Despite throwing him out, Trump continues to consult Lewandowski regularly, as perhaps the most steadfast supporter of the Let-Trump-BeTrump approach.
Chris Christie, a long time friend of Trump, heads the transition team which would lay the groundwork for Trump’s presidency if he wins. He has been a close adviser and was shortlisted as a potential running mate before Trump chose Mike Pence.
A former proesecutor, Christie is often spoken of as a possible attorney general in a Trump administration. He famously led the chanting of “Lock her up” at the Cleveland party convention, calling for a trial of Hillary Clinton.
When asked about his foreign policy advisers, Trump once cited himself as one, saying he has a pretty good brain. That may still be true, but he has since acquired real advisers with some real experience. Senator Jeff Sessions, one of the nominee’s earliest backers, heads the campaign’s foreign policy shop and shapes his belligerent views on immigration.
Retired general Micheal Flynn, who headed the Defense Intelligence Agency, was one of the few national security experts to have backed the Republican nominee, and has been called Trump’s favourite general. He accompanied the nominee to his first intelligence briefing this week.
A 13-member group of billionaires led by Stephen Mnuchin, with no women. Another billionaire friend Carl Icahn, who was frequently mentioned by Trump on the campaign trail, was left out to start a political action committee in support of the nominee.