Trump selects Priebus as chief of staff

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday chose Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and a loyal campaign adviser, to be his White House chief of staff, turning to a Washington insider whose friendship with the House speaker, Paul Ryan, could help secure early legislative victories, according to people involved in Trump’s transition effort.

If Trump had appointed Bannon, a fierce critic of the Republican establishment, it would have demonstrated a continued disdain for a party that Trump fought throughout his campaign.

Bannon — the longtime chairman of Breitbart News, a site distinguished by its nationalist, racially charged, conspiracy-laden coverage — is likely to serve as a conduit to the populist right and conservative media outlets.