(Gage Skidmore)
News that former President Donald Trump may choose Brooke Rollins, head of the MAGA-aligned think tank America First Policy Institute, as his White House chief of staff has set off a wave of intense infighting among his campaign insiders. According to a new report, insiders are ruthlessly jockeying to prevent her from being selected for the powerful position, should Trump win the 2024 election.
The conflict reportedly began when suspicions arose about Rollins potentially being considered for the role. These suspicions were fueled by leaks to the press about a cybersecurity breach at her think tank, allegedly hacked by the Chinese. According to Politico, this leak was a calculated move by Rollins’ rivals to sabotage her chances.
“The knife-fighting is underway,” a source close to Trump’s inner circle told Politico. “Someone’s like, ‘Oh, she wants to be chief of staff? Well, she can’t even stop her own organization from getting hacked.’”
The timing of the leak suggests it was an intentional effort to discredit Rollins, as the hack occurred over a year ago but only recently became public knowledge. Insiders speculate that those opposing Rollins within Trump’s camp are behind the leak, trying to eliminate her from consideration for the key White House role.
According to Politico, this is just one example of the fierce behind-the-scenes power struggle over who will occupy the role of chief of staff if Trump wins the presidency. The position is seen as crucial to the success of any second Trump administration, and three names have been most frequently discussed for the job: Rollins, Susie Wiles, and Kevin McCarthy.
Susie Wiles, who has served as Trump’s de facto campaign manager and remained loyal to him following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, is reportedly the frontrunner. Insiders credit Wiles with organizing Trump’s often chaotic campaign and cracking down on internal backbiting. However, some question whether she has the necessary qualifications for the role, as her last government job was a brief stint working for a Republican Congress member during the Reagan administration.
There are also doubts about whether she even wants the position, given the personnel drama she dealt with earlier this year following Corey Lewandowski’s sudden return to the campaign. Kevin McCarthy, the former Republican House speaker, has also been floated as a potential candidate for the role. McCarthy has said he wouldn’t rule out taking the job, but his openness has raised concerns among some in Trump’s camp that he might be “too eager” for the position.
Despite these competing interests, Trump himself has reportedly been asking around about Rollins, stating that he thinks she would make “a great chief of staff.” This endorsement has reportedly angered her rivals within the campaign, who believe Rollins is unqualified for the role. As Politico reported, “[They] believe she has no business having that job. Some of those who have worked with her believe she’d be eaten alive.”
With the 2024 election drawing closer, the behind-the-scenes battle over who will hold one of the most important positions in a potential second Trump administration has only just begun. The intense infighting and power struggles signal that whoever gets the nod will have to navigate not only the challenges of governing but also the fierce competition within Trump’s own team.
