President Donald Trump dined with his former chief of staff Reince Priebus at the White House Thursday, CNN has learned.
According to a source familiar with the meal, the two men had lunch together in what is one of their few in-person meetings since Priebus was driven out of the administration more than two months ago.
The West Wing has experienced a string of departures in recent months — including a chief strategist, a communications director, press secretary and, most recently, a health and human services secretary.
Priebus’ replacement, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, has earned shout-outs from Trump on two recent occasions — a rally in Alabama and a visit to hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico.
“No games — you know the expression,” Trump told the crowd. “There’s no games being played. Four-star Marine, there are very few four-star generals.”
Though Trump and Priebus have been in communication since his departure, this is one of the few times they have been in the same room since he left the West Wing.
Priebus’ time at the White House was beset with stories of chaos and strife, whereas Kelly has been credited with bringing more order.
Kelly, a lifelong Marine, was brought in to introduce order into a West Wing riddled with chaos. Though the Oval Office once was abuzz with visitors who dropped by unannounced, those who want to speak to the President now must go through Kelly first, and he screens all of the President’s incoming calls on the White House switchboard. Trump has chafed at some of his top aide’s new order, but generally heaps praise on his new chief of staff.
Despite the sternness of the new chief of staff, the White House is still engulfed in controversies that are often of the President’s own making.
