Former President Donald J. Trump privately asked aides what they thought about appointing former White House policy aide Brooke Rollins as chief of staff and how they would feel if he won the election. Three people with knowledge of his conversations with Trump said that
In multiple private conversations in recent weeks, Trump has said he thinks Rollins would make a “great chief of staff” and that she is “tall” and “good looking.”
Rollins is a conservative lawyer who worked on domestic policy during the final year of the Trump administration and is a close ally of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed with Trump’s assessment that Rollins would make an excellent chief of staff, according to a person briefed on their conversation.
Rollins said in a statement that he has “not had any conversations with President Trump or his team on this matter,” adding that he is committed to “building an America First movement” and ensuring Trump’s election victory. He added that he is focusing on that.
Mr. Rollins plays a key role in Mr. Trump’s transition team preparing for his potential return to power.
She has run the America First Policy Institute since the end of President Trump’s term. The think tank is staffed by former Trump administration officials, including Trump’s former economic adviser Larry Kudlow. They are former chief press secretary Hogan Gidley and former acting secretary of homeland security Chad Wolf.
The institute has spent the past few years preparing policy for the second Trump administration, and its president, Linda McMahon, also serves as co-chair of Trump’s presidential transition team. Many at the institute, including McMahon and Rollins, have been responsible for the policy aspects of the transition effort. Trump’s friend, Cantor Fitzgerald billionaire Howard Lutnick, is overseeing the personnel aspects of the transition effort.
Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt, in response to a request for comment, did not address the New York Times report about Trump’s personal comments about Rollins. “President Trump has run the most powerful presidential campaign in history,” Levitt said in a statement, adding that “if he wins,” he will select “the best people to help make America great again.” He said it would be.
Mr. Trump’s allies said he had other names for secretary and had not made any decisions about staffing the White House.
During the Trump administration, Rollins played a key role in helping Trump secure bipartisan criminal justice reform. She faces skepticism from some Trump supporters over her involvement with Kushner, a former Democrat, and her role in crafting the First Step Act, which some conservatives disparagingly referred to as the “Jailbreak Bill.” Being watched. Some have questioned why America First’s staff includes advisors who are free-market conservatives like Kudlow rather than populists in the Trumpian style.
The role of Trump’s chief of staff is a difficult one. Trump has had four chiefs of staff during his four years as president, a job some former advisers have described as a near-impossible task.
There was no common consistency in the selection of his chief of staff. He chose a Republican chairman (Reince Priebus) with no experience in the federal government. Four-star general (John Kelly). Savings geek (Mick Mulvaney). and an ambitious congressman and far-right power broker (Mark Meadows).
One member of former President Trump’s group was indicted (Mr. Meadows). One person called him “the most flawed person” he had ever met (Kelly). One resigned after January 6th (Mr. Mulvaney), and the other unceremoniously announced his resignation in a tweet (Mr. Priebus).
Of these secretaries, Mr. Priebus maintains the warmest relationship with Mr. Trump. He led fundraising efforts for this year’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Mr. Trump has a good relationship with Ms. Rollins, often praising her as wise and capable to allies. But he has also privately complained about the America First Policy Institute using his name to raise money, and Rollins has used the group’s funds to raise funds for his “America First.” They even told those involved that they should offer different amounts of money in return for using the brand. -Nurture.
At various times, he has floated figures of $25 million and $50 million as a “fair” amount to cover what he is owed. Mr. Trump complained that donors were confused by the words “America First” as part of the institute’s name and thought they were giving money to Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump also privately criticized the institute for “wasting money” on printing glossy policy books, according to a person with direct knowledge of his remarks. “Remember, the policy doesn’t work without me,” the official added.
But in recent months, he has made fewer such complaints. He has hosted three Institute events at his private club and home, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida. The institute also hosted Trump’s speech on his first return to Washington, D.C. , after leaving the White House.
The biggest question about who will become chief of staff if Trump wins a second term is that Trump doesn’t want a gatekeeper, preferring to give direct duties to different people who work for him. That’s true. His first White House adviser, Donald F. McGahn II, said Mr. Trump runs the White House on a “hub-and-spoke model,” often assigning the same tasks to multiple people. He said.
Mr. Trump’s top adviser, Susie Wiles, is seen by many close to Mr. Trump as the person who has done the best job managing both Mr. Trump’s political operations and the often-conflicting factions surrounding him. has been done. Many close to Trump expect Wiles to become chief of staff if Trump wins, believing her political acumen will be essential to the role. It has been unofficially stated that
However, it is unclear whether the former president has discussed the job with her or if she is interested in the role.
