Twitter Both Relieved and Terrified by Trump’s White House Staff Announcements

Donald Trump has confirmed that Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon will hold high positions in his administration, which set off a flurry of Twitter activity on Sunday.

Priebus will become the White House Chief of Staff, while Bannon will become Chief Strategist and Senior Counselor to the new president. The new roles of both men, and the political partnership that will follow, has drawn significant attention for a variety of reasons:

Some found it interesting that Bannon got top billing on Trump’s announcement, even though Priebus got the Chief of Staff job:

Just in: @Reince for chief of staff, but Bannon gets higher billing as chief strategist & senior counselor pic.twitter.com/yIprS9Yyff

— Todd J. Gillman (@toddgillman) November 13, 2016

Of note, Steve Bannon, former Breitbart News chief, gets top billing over Reince in official release noting he's been named Chief Strategist

— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) November 13, 2016

That may get Bannon a better seat as his Thanksgiving Dinner table, but the Chief is the Chief. Reince will be in for the long haul. https://t.co/XMdO27wHYg

— Rich Galen (@richgalen) November 13, 2016

Absolutely no coincidence that they announced Reince & Bannon at the same time. They’re telling Washington who has Trump’s ear. Not Reince.

— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) November 13, 2016

Some people found it smart that Trump didn’t name Bannon, the chief of the highly-conservative website Breitbart, for the position:

Very smart move by Trump to select Preibus over the other proposed choices.

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) November 13, 2016

A very shrewd move by President-elect @realDonaldTrump. @reince reforms at RNC –debate schedule, primary schedule, convo move up, picking https://t.co/c8cjjrhUuW

— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) November 13, 2016

Given circumstances, @Reince as COS is good news. The other choice was white supremacist, anti-gay, anti-Semite, vindictive, scary-ass dude.

— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) November 13, 2016

The selection of @Reince isn't encouraging. It just moves white nationalism just a little bit further down the hall. https://t.co/bY4IBeMpjc

— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 13, 2016

You know you’re in new territory when you’re relieved the President didn’t choose a white supremacist as his Chief of Staff.

— Anthony De Rosa (@Anthony) November 13, 2016

From our own John Ziegler:

This is potentially YUGE. I'm no fan of Priebus but Bannon would've been disaster. This gives DJT chance to succeed. Stocks should love this https://t.co/NszV2ku4N3

— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) November 13, 2016

Others felt that, for better or for worse, having Priebus as Chief of Staff goes against the idea that Trump would “drain the swamp” of all the insider politicians:

I thought we were draining the swamp? Here we go again……#BREAKING https://t.co/l2DLzbMxLA

— David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) November 13, 2016

@Zigmanfreud Trump drained the swamp then moved it to The White House.

— Richard W. (@IceManNYR) November 13, 2016

Nice to see President Pussygrabber "drain the swamp" by reaching into it, pulling out @reince, and making this POS chief of staff

— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) November 13, 2016

Yet even more people felt that Priebus and Bannon would be foils for one another, which could have some interesting results in the White House:

also, odds of intense friction between these two is about 1,000% https://t.co/1shTNTdJyY

— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) November 13, 2016

Splitting the difference: Trump makes Reince Priebus chief of staff, Steve Bannon senior counselor. Establishment and anti-establishment

— HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) November 13, 2016

Priebus. Bannon. "Team of Rivals."

— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) November 13, 2016

And of course, there were those who found it horrifying that a person like Bannon would have Trump’s ear:

An anti-Semitic white nationalist will be Chief Strategist to the President. A solid news-cycle win for Nazis.

— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) November 13, 2016

The racist, fascist extreme right is represented footsteps from the Oval Office. Be very vigilant America.

— John Weaver (@JWGOP) November 13, 2016

A man who has clear ties to the alt-right and white supremacists will be the President's chief strategist. https://t.co/iuHuAoaKEj https://t.co/KHT01rvEWr

— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) November 13, 2016

in first official decision as president-elect Trump announces guy who runs racist hate site will be his closest adviser in the White House https://t.co/sUQlcJYzG5

— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) November 13, 2016

Let us be clear. The hiring of Steve Bannon as a WH policy adviser is exactly the same as hiring David Duke. Please don't normalize this.

— Charles P. Pierce (@ESQPolitics) November 13, 2016

It's good that alt-righter won't be chief of staff, but let's not overlook how remarkable it is that one will be POTUS's senior counselor.

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) November 13, 2016

Flashback: Ex-Breitbart editor @benshapiro: Bannon a "legitimately sinister figure" known for "threatening enemies" https://t.co/ylnfODFFBe pic.twitter.com/Wp6F62lSGq

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) November 13, 2016

[Image via screengrab]

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