Donald Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser Jared Kushner is at the centre of the “infighting” inside President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team, multiple sources said.
Trump, however, tweeted Tuesday night that the process was “very organised.”
Former Congressman Mike Rogers said Tuesday he parted ways with Trump’s transition team, removing an establishment national security voice from the planning process of the next president’s cabinet.
Kushner emerged as an important voice early in Trump’s campaign, launched in June 2015. He was involved in almost every aspect of Trump’s campaign, offering advice on key personnel decisions, strategy, speeches, fundraising and other areas.
While a federal anti-nepotism law prohibits a president from hiring family members to serve in his administration, Kushner is set to remain a key insider and trusted confidant.
Reince Priebus, appointed Trump’s White House chief of staff on Sunday, told NBC’s “Today” show on Monday that Kushner “obviously” will be very involved in decision-making. Kushner serves on Trump’s transition executive committee.
‘Non-traditional names’
Jason Miller, a transition communications adviser, told reporters Trump and Pence would be “reviewing a number of names” for cabinet positions, including “non-traditional names.”
“People will be excited when they see the type of leaders the president-elect brings into this administration,” he said.
But Trump’s transition team has faced a string of setbacks as it tackles the daunting task of building an administration with the clout to support the 70-year-old political novice when he takes office in just nine weeks.
The first shake-up came Friday, when Trump reshuffled the team, placing Pence in charge. Then on Tuesday, the transition team’s head of national security, Mike Rogers, resigned in what was interpreted as a new sign of disarray.
Giuliani for State, or Bolton?
On Sunday, Trump named Reince Priebus, a mainstream Republican operative who backed Trump while chairman of the Republican National Committee, as his White House chief of staff.
Trump’s choice of Priebus – announced at the same time as Bannon – suggested a leader torn between a promise to shake up Washington and the need to build a cabinet with political experience and connections with Congress.
According to a top Trump aide, Giuliani – a member of Trump’s inner circle – is a “serious” contender to become the next secretary of state.
The crime-fighting former prosecutor was mayor of New York on 9/11, and his decisive leadership after the World Trade Centre’s twin towers were toppled in the September 2001 attacks made him a national hero.
But CNN reported that Team Trump was looking into whether the 72-year-old’s business ties – including work as a lobbyist for a Venezuelan oil firm -- could complicate his confirmation in the role.
Bolton, a neo-conservative hawk and former undersecretary of state, also was reported to be in the running for the top diplomatic post.
He was a controversial choice for UN envoy in 2005, having once said if the UN headquarters lost 10 floors, “it wouldn’t make a bit of difference.”
“John would be a very good choice,” Giuliani said Monday at a forum sponsored by The Wall Street Journal.