Battles from the Mar-a-Lago patio: How Trump’s staffing has already turned into a war

CNN

By Kaitlan Collins, CNN

(CNN) — Almost immediately after it became clear that Donald Trump was on his way to reelection Tuesday night, phones began pinging in the president-elect’s orbit and the conversation at several of the dining tables in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom turned to who would staff a second Trump term.

Those hushed discussions have now morphed into an all-out battle that is playing out directly from the patio of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Almost every single table was filled Wednesday night amid maneuvering over who was sitting where and how close their table was to where Trump usually holds court, at a table behind a velvet rope, two people told CNN.

Onlookers spotted Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Barrack and Trump’s transition co-chairs, Howard Lutnick and Linda McMahon, milling about the club earlier Wednesday. Trump spent part of the day going through names that had been previously lined up by Lutnick in the months before the election, though some have questioned whether Trump will rely solely on his recommendations.

Already, those seeking top posts have been working the phones in an attempt to form alliances with others who are also hoping to secure a spot in the Trump administration. Several even booked flights to Florida to ensure face time with Trump in the coming days, when many of the decisions are expected to be made.

As he narrows down his choices, Trump has crossed several options off the list already, according to several people familiar with the chaotic but aggressive process underway.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, the New York Republican who is House GOP conference chair, is under consideration to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations.

And one of the biggest battles that emerged – over chief of staff – has since been resolved.

Trump on Thursday named his campaign manager Susie Wiles to the role, touting her as the first woman to hold it. Wiles is widely credited for running what was seen as Trump’s most disciplined campaign.

But that contest had previously boiled down to two names: Wiles and Brooke Rollins, who served in Trump’s first term and runs the America First Policy Institute. Rollins ultimately stood down from vying for the role after it became clear that seeking it would amount to a serious power struggle with Wiles. Rollins is still expected to take some role in a Trump administration.

Trump was encouraged to move on the chief of staff role faster than he did in 2016 during a chaotic transition, when he waited until the following Sunday to name Reince Priebus to the job. Having a chief of staff in place would allow for there to be a power center that people could go to instead of calling Trump directly.

However, one person noted that it’s been Trump himself who has dialed people he wants to see in key positions in recent days.

Occasionally over the past few months, Trump floated names as possible administration picks, but he would not engage further. Sources close to the former president said that because he was superstitious, Trump often refused to engage in lengthier conversations about who would be placed in an administration before the election took place.

As he shores up his staff, Trump is eager to reward those who stood by him the last two years, and he’s made clear in recent private conversations that he’ll seek to accommodate those who have done so – even if their viewpoints don’t necessarily align with his.

CNN’s Steve Contorno, Kaanita Iyer, Kristen Holmes, Jeremy Herb, Kayla Tausche and Evan Perez contributed to this report.

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