Who is Reince Priebus? 5 Things You Should Know
President-elect Donald Trump announced Sunday that Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus will be his White House chief of staff.
Priebus, a 44-year-old lawyer from Wisconsin, has been a prominent figure within the Grand Old Party since his election to the role of party chairman in 2011.
Below are five facts in no particular order, some well-known and some lesser-known, about the man who will be the highest ranking official in Trump's White House.
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1. He is Greek Orthodox
Priebus has been a member of the Greek Orthodox Church his entire life, having been raised in the ancient denomination.
Earlier this year, Priebus gave an official message as chairman of the GOP wishing "Orthodox Christians around the world a happy and blessed Easter."
"As our church has done for generations, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the love of God in providing a savior. Just as the first Christians praised God at the sight of the empty tomb, we too praise our good and merciful God today for his victory over the grave," stated Priebus.
"Christ's sacrificial work provides an example for us all, and we join with the Psalmist in saying 'You make known to me the path of life.' Easter is a time for the celebration of new life, and I pray we will all draw on that new hope throughout the year."
During an interview with CNN back in April, Priebus noted that the three things he has in his office "that are critical in getting through the day" are the Greek Orthodox liturgy, the Republican Party platform, and the Milwaukee Brewers' schedule.
2. His Mother is From Africa
Priebus' mother was born in Africa, specifically the nation of Sudan. Priebus' mother Dimitra is ethnically Greek, her ancestral home being Mytilene, which is located on the Greek island of Lesbos.
However, Dimitra herself is from Khartoum. In comments given to The Next Generation Initiative in 2014, Priebus explained that back in the 1960s many southern Europeans were living in North Africa.
"So there were a lot of Italians and Greeks and Spanish that lived in northern Africa in the '60s. My mother was 19 or 20 when she met my dad, and she had lived in Khartoum her entire life," said Priebus.
"She worked at the American Embassy in Sudan. My dad was in the Army in Ethiopia because the United States had an Army base in, I think it was Eritrea. And then he met my mom when she was in Khartoum."
3. His Real Name is Reinhold
Ah yes, the name. If the satirical publication The Onion is to be believed, tricking Priebus into saying his name backwards causes him to be trapped inside an ancient puzzle box.
And yet, Reince is actually a nickname. His real first name Reinhold, which was inspired by the German side of his family.
"It's what happens when a Greek and a German get married," jokingly explained Priebus in an article posted to the GOP's website.
4. He Plays a Mean Piano
When he is not trying to keep the peace within the Republican Party, Priebus enjoys the occasional piano playing, reportedly having won the occasional musical competition.
Here he is showing off some of his talent to CNN:
5. Past Issues With Donald Trump
During the Republican primary season, Trump was known to criticize the establishment GOP and accusing the party's nomination process of being rigged.
Priebus was known to denounce the comments of Trump both on the claims of the party system being fixed as well as his crude remarks towards women and an attack on the Muslim family of a Gold Star Army Captain.
"I think our Gold Star families are precious, and they are to be honored and loved and cherished and I think that it is something that we believe in as a party. So yeah, I think this family should be off limits," said Priebus.
In reaction to Trump's 2005 remarks about women, Priebus stated "No women should ever be described in these terms or talked about in this manner. Ever."
