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Kellyanne Conway chosen as Donald Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway chosen as Donald Trump's counselor
(about 2 hours later)
Donald Trump has named his former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, as his choice to serve as counselor to the president, his transition team said in a statement. Donald Trump has named his former campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, to serve as counselor to the president.
Trump, in the statement, said Conway “played a crucial role in my victory. She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message.” In a statement on Thursday, the president-elect said Conway “played a crucial role in my victory. She is a tireless and tenacious advocate of my agenda and has amazing insights on how to effectively communicate our message.”
Conway has been serving as a key member of Trump’s transition team. Conway, a pollster and political strategist, has been serving as a key member of Trump’s transition team since his victory on 8 November. She came on board as campaign manager in August shortly after Trump had secured the Republican nomination, and after two others – Corey Lewandowski and Paul Manafort – had been fired from the position.
Since helping guide Trump to victory in the election on 8 November, Conway has been considered a frontrunner for several White House positions. At an event on women in politics earlier this month, Conway implied that it would be almost impossible to take up a position in the White House while also being a mother to her four children, all under the age of 12. She quickly became one of the campaign’s most important and prominent surrogates, making frequent television appearances to defend Trump’s actions and remarks, however inflammatory they became.
“I do politely mention to them the question isn’t would you take the job, the male sitting across from me who’s going to take a big job in the White House. The question is would you want your wife to,” said Conway, of conversations she has had with male colleagues. “Would you want the mother of your children to? You really see their entire visage change. It’s like, oh, no, they wouldn’t want their wife to take that job.” When a 2005 video surfaced in which Trump can be heard bragging about grabbing women’s genitals without their consent, Conway remained steadfast in her defense of the then Republican nominee.
More details to follow … “That’s a very unfortunate phrase, and people really should stop using it,” Conway told CNN’s Dana Bash, admonishing people for using the words “sexual assault” to describe Trump’s remarks. “He did not say the word ‘sexual assault’.”
In so doing, Conway was credited with helping soften the campaign’s image, and improving the president-elect’s standing with women, particularly suburban white women who voted for him in droves.
Trump has touted Conway as an example of his support and promotion of women. The president-elect’s victory on 8 November “also shattered the glass ceiling for women”, Trump’s statement announcing her appointment read. Conway was the first female campaign manager for either major party to win a presidential general election.
But Conway came under fire recently, for suggesting that mothers shouldn’t take up roles in the White House. At an event on women in politics earlier this month, Conway implied that it would be almost impossible to take up a position in the White House while also being a mother to her four children, all under the age of 12.
“I do politely mention to them the question isn’t would you take the job, the male sitting across from me who’s going to take a big job in the White House. The question is would you want your wife to,” said Conway, of conversations shehad with male colleagues. “Would you want the mother of your children to? You really see their entire visage change. It’s like, oh, no, they wouldn’t want their wife to take that job.”
Since helping guide Trump to his electoral victory, Conway has been considered a frontrunner for several White House positions.
Conway has helped shape the Trump cabinet, notably clashing with other senior members in Trump’s camp over the possible nomination of Mitt Romney for secretary of state, whom she publicly criticized.
In Conway’s new role as counselor, she “will continue her role as a close advisor to the president and will work with senior leadership to effectively message and execute the Administration’s legislative priorities and actions”, the Trump transition team’s statement said.
The role of counselor to the president is not a position all presidents appoint. It is usually an influential adviser role with a focus on communications. The last person to hold that title was John Podesta, who served under Barack Obama before leaving to run Hillary Clinton’s campaign in February 2015.
Conway founded her polling and research firm, the Polling Company, in 1995. She has been a key conservative strategist for several candidates, including Newt Gingrich during the 2012 presidential race. She also served as an adviser to Vice-President-elect Mike Pence during his campaign for governor of Indiana.
Reuters contributed to this report.