KNIVES OUT

Report: White House Blames Reince Priebus for Missteps

“Things aren’t going as smoothly as one had hoped.”

More than a dozen Trump aides said in interviews that White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus has become the target of blame for missteps in President Donald Trump’s administration. The 44-year-old is reported to have picked up a habit of inserting himself into any and all conversations, leaving some feeling micromanaged and as if he’s trying to block their access to the president. “There’s a real frustration among many—including from the president—that things aren’t going as smoothly as one had hoped,” said one senior administration official. “Reince, fairly or not, is likely to take the blame and take the fault for that.” Another said: “It’s sheer incompetence... There’s a lack of management, and a lack of strategy.” However, on the record, White House officials vehemently denied reports of Priebus’s incompetence or micromanagement. “We’re implementing President Trump’s agenda in record time and fulfilling one campaign promise after another,” said Stephen Bannon, the chief strategist. “That shows you what a great job Reince is doing.”