Opposition to the appointment of Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus as White House chief of staff and former head of Breitbart News Stephen Bannon as chief strategist was quick in coming, some of it even before the official announcement was made.
The Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund (TPPCF) told CNN on Saturday that Priebus would be the wrong choice.
"No Washington insider, regardless of who it is, should serve as President Trump's chief of staff," said Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of TPPCF. "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."
Other conservative groups were also upset over the selection of Priebus for similar reasons.
Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning said in a press release that, "This election was a rejection of the inside-the-beltway elites and Preibus' appointment to this critical role would bring many of those who ridiculed and undercut Mr. Trump and his supporters into positions of influence."
These groups wanted Bannon to receive the chief of staff position, but his appointment as chief strategist and special counsel brought protests from many others, who consider him to be one of the main voices of the alt-right movement.
Many on Twitter warned of the consequences of Bannon’s appointment.
Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen recently told CNN that, “Bannon created a home for white supremacy, white nationalism online. And the danger now of course is that he’s going to provide a home for it in the White House.”
Others, however, were supportive of the moves. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who many are touting as the next secretary of state, tweeted his support for the appointments.
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