A young Priebus at the school library, left, and in his junior year of high school yearbook shot, right. Photos courtesy of Kenosha Unified School District
College/University
Gallery of Reince Priebus
1998
1311 Miller Rd, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
Reince Priebus, left, in sunglasses, as pictured in the second page of the 1998 University of Miami Law School yearbook.
Gallery of Reince Priebus
1998
1311 Miller Rd, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
Reince Priebus was a force at University of Miami law school
Career
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2012
401 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus gestures as he speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today is the first full session of the RNC after the start was delayed due to Tropical Storm Isaac.
(Source: Mark Wilson/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2012
401 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602, USA
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus stands in front of a tribute displayed on stage for recently deceased NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong ahead of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 26, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. The RNC is scheduled to convene on August 27 and will hold its first session on August 28 as Tropical Storm Isaac threatens disruptions due to its proximity to the Florida peninsula.
(Source: Win McNamee/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2014
Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, USA
Republican National Committee leadership, L to R, Former Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno, Rep. Gregory Walden (R-OR), RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), speak during a press conference to discuss the results of yesterday's midterm elections, which resulted in GOP leadership of the Senate, on Capitol Hill November 5, 2014 in Washington D.C. Republicans won the majority of the US Senate for the first time in 8 years after Americans went to the polls and voted in the mid-term elections.
(Source: Allison Shelley/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2014
First St SE, Washington, DC 20004, USA
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, standing next to a stack of copies of bills that passed the House of Representatives but have not been taken up by the Senate, calls for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to be 'fired' during a rally outside the U.S. Capitol July 29, 2014 in Washington, DC. Priebus and other Republicans from the House said that Reid could be 'fired' from his leadership position if the GOP were to take control of the Senate in this fall's midterm elections.
(July 28, 2014 - Source: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2014
Washington, DC., USA
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks at the annual RNC winter meeting January 24, 2014 in Washington, DC. Significant changes in the Republican party's nominating process and national convention schedule are being discussed at this year's meeting.
(Source: Win McNamee/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2016
1335 Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, USA
Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States.
(Source: Mark Wilson/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2016
725 5th Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA
(L to R) Incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus listens during a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump and technology executives at Trump Tower, December 14, 2016 in New York City. This is the first major meeting between President-elect Trump and technology industry leaders.
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2016
1 Center Ct, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18.
(July 20, 2016 - Source: John Moore/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2016
1 Center Ct, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, speaks to the delegates on start of the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicks off on July 18.
(July 17, 2016 - Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2016
10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, USA
Politician Reince Priebus attends 2016 Time 100 Gala, Time's Most Influential People In The World red carpet at Jazz At Lincoln Center at the Times Warner Center on April 26, 2016 in New York City.
(April 26, 2015 - Source: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2017
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
(L to R) White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus look on as President Donald Trump meets with Senate and House legislators, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, February 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. Lawmakers included in the meeting were Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA).
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2017
1211 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 United States
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is interviewed on 'Fox And Friends', seen on a monitor outside of the Fox News studios, on February 17, 2017 in New York City. President Trump, a frequent consumer and critic of cable news, recently tweeted that Fox and Friends is 'great'. Behind the monitor is an advertisement for Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly.
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2017
National Harbor, Maryland, USA
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (C) makes remarks as White House advisor Steve Bannon (L) and American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp listen during a discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, February 23, 2017.
(Source: AFP)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2017
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Vice President Mike Pence and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus look on at the White House in Washington, DC on January 20, 2017.
(Source: AFP)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2017
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
U.S. President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus share a laugh during the ceremony to nominate Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in the East Room of the White House January 31, 2017 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Gorsuch would fill the seat left vacant with the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016.
(Source: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2011
529 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20045, USA
Reince Priebus (L) holds up a gavel after he was elected to be the new chairman of the National Republican Committee as secretary of the committee Sharon Day looks on during the RNC Winter Meeting January 14, 2011 in National Harbor, Maryland. The members of the committee have picked Priebus to be the new chairman after seven rounds of votes.
(Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2011
529 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20045, USA
Wisconsin state party chairman Reince Priebus participates in a debate between chairmanship candidates of the Republican National Committee, co-sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform and the Daily Caller, at the National Press Club January 3, 2011 in Washington, DC. The members of the committee will vote on their choice for chairman during their winter meeting later this month.
(Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
Gallery of Reince Priebus
2018
1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Sally Priebus (L) and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus attend the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 28, 2018 in Washington, DC.
(April 27, 2018 - Source: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images North America)
Achievements
Membership
Delta Chi fraternity
Awards
Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World
Reince Priebus (L) holds up a gavel after he was elected to be the new chairman of the National Republican Committee as secretary of the committee Sharon Day looks on during the RNC Winter Meeting January 14, 2011 in National Harbor, Maryland. The members of the committee have picked Priebus to be the new chairman after seven rounds of votes.
(Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
Wisconsin state party chairman Reince Priebus participates in a debate between chairmanship candidates of the Republican National Committee, co-sponsored by Americans for Tax Reform and the Daily Caller, at the National Press Club January 3, 2011 in Washington, DC. The members of the committee will vote on their choice for chairman during their winter meeting later this month.
(Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus gestures as he speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 28, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. Today is the first full session of the RNC after the start was delayed due to Tropical Storm Isaac.
(Source: Mark Wilson/Getty Images North America)
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus stands in front of a tribute displayed on stage for recently deceased NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong ahead of the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 26, 2012 in Tampa, Florida. The RNC is scheduled to convene on August 27 and will hold its first session on August 28 as Tropical Storm Isaac threatens disruptions due to its proximity to the Florida peninsula.
(Source: Win McNamee/Getty Images North America)
Republican National Committee leadership, L to R, Former Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno, Rep. Gregory Walden (R-OR), RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), speak during a press conference to discuss the results of yesterday's midterm elections, which resulted in GOP leadership of the Senate, on Capitol Hill November 5, 2014 in Washington D.C. Republicans won the majority of the US Senate for the first time in 8 years after Americans went to the polls and voted in the mid-term elections.
(Source: Allison Shelley/Getty Images North America)
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, standing next to a stack of copies of bills that passed the House of Representatives but have not been taken up by the Senate, calls for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to be 'fired' during a rally outside the U.S. Capitol July 29, 2014 in Washington, DC. Priebus and other Republicans from the House said that Reid could be 'fired' from his leadership position if the GOP were to take control of the Senate in this fall's midterm elections.
(July 28, 2014 - Source: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus speaks at the annual RNC winter meeting January 24, 2014 in Washington, DC. Significant changes in the Republican party's nominating process and national convention schedule are being discussed at this year's meeting.
(Source: Win McNamee/Getty Images North America)
Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States.
(Source: Mark Wilson/Getty Images North America)
(L to R) Incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus listens during a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump and technology executives at Trump Tower, December 14, 2016 in New York City. This is the first major meeting between President-elect Trump and technology industry leaders.
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech during the evening session on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18.
(July 20, 2016 - Source: John Moore/Getty Images North America)
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, speaks to the delegates on start of the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicks off on July 18.
(July 17, 2016 - Source: Alex Wong/Getty Images North America)
Politician Reince Priebus attends 2016 Time 100 Gala, Time's Most Influential People In The World red carpet at Jazz At Lincoln Center at the Times Warner Center on April 26, 2016 in New York City.
(April 26, 2015 - Source: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images North America)
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
(L to R) White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus look on as President Donald Trump meets with Senate and House legislators, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House, February 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. Lawmakers included in the meeting were Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA).
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
1211 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 United States
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus is interviewed on 'Fox And Friends', seen on a monitor outside of the Fox News studios, on February 17, 2017 in New York City. President Trump, a frequent consumer and critic of cable news, recently tweeted that Fox and Friends is 'great'. Behind the monitor is an advertisement for Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly.
(Source: Drew Angerer/Getty Images North America)
White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (C) makes remarks as White House advisor Steve Bannon (L) and American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp listen during a discussion at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at National Harbor, Maryland, February 23, 2017.
(Source: AFP)
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Vice President Mike Pence and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus look on at the White House in Washington, DC on January 20, 2017.
(Source: AFP)
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, USA
U.S. President Donald Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus share a laugh during the ceremony to nominate Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in the East Room of the White House January 31, 2017 in Washington, DC. If confirmed, Gorsuch would fill the seat left vacant with the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016.
(Source: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)
1919 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Sally Priebus (L) and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus attend the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner at Washington Hilton on April 28, 2018 in Washington, DC.
(April 27, 2018 - Source: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images North America)
A young Priebus at the school library, left, and in his junior year of high school yearbook shot, right. Photos courtesy of Kenosha Unified School District
Reince Priebus, byname of Reinhold Richard Priebus, is an American politician who was chief of staff (2017) in the administration of U.S. Pres. Donald Trump. He previously served as chairman of the Republican National Committee (2011–17).
Background
Ethnicity:
His father is of German and English descent and his mother is of Greek descent; she was born to parents originally from Mytilene, Lesbos, in Khartoum, since there was a sizeable community of Greek settlers in Sudan at the time.
Priebus was born on March 18, 1972, the son of Dimitra (née Pitsiladis; known as Roula) and Richard Priebus. Born in Dover, New Jersey, he lived in Netcong, New Jersey, until his family moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, when he was seven years old. His father is a former union electrician and his mother a real estate agent.
Education
At the age of 16, he volunteered for his first political campaign. He attended Tremper High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin, graduating in 1990. After graduating from Tremper, he attended the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he majored in English and political science, and joined the Delta Chi fraternity. He graduated cum laude in 1994 and prior to that had been elected to serve as student body president.
After graduation from Whitewater, Priebus served as a clerk for the Wisconsin State Assembly Education Committee. He then enrolled at the University of Miami School of Law in Coral Gables, Florida. While studying for his law degree, he worked as a clerk for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and interned at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in California.
In 1998, he graduated with a J.D. degree cum laude from the University of Miami, after serving as president of the law school student body.
After studying law at the University of Miami, he entered private practice while remaining active in politics. In 2004 Priebus staged an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the state Senate. He subsequently held various positions in the Wisconsin Republican Party before becoming its chairman in 2007. In the 2010 state elections, he guided the party to a decisive victory as it won control of the governorship, Senate, and Assembly.
On the heels of that success, Priebus was elected the party’s national chairman in 2011, replacing Michael S. Steele. Priebus became known as an effective fund-raiser, quickly erasing the party’s $23 million debt. Although Republican Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election, in the 2014 midterms the party gained a majority in the Senate to take control of Congress.
During the 2016 presidential race, Priebus faced party turmoil when businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump secured the Republican nomination. Trump’s inflammatory remarks, vocal criticism of the party establishment, and lack of political experience raised serious doubts about his candidacy. Priebus, however, backed Trump and encouraged other Republicans to follow suit. In November 2016 Trump upset Democrat Hillary Clinton, whom many polls had as the clear front-runner. Soon thereafter Trump tapped Priebus to serve as his chief of staff, and Priebus assumed the post in January 2017, shortly after resigning as head of the Republican National Committee.
After assuming the post, however, Priebus often found himself at odds with Trump, who largely defied traditional politics. His influence at the White House further waned after several failed attempts to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In July 2017 Priebus was replaced as chief of staff by John F. Kelly.
After leaving the White House, Priebus returned to private practice as president and chief strategist of Michael Best and Friedrich LLP, and signed to be a speaker with the Washington Speakers Bureau. Priebus will be working out of Washington, D.C.
Priebus is the longest serving chairman of the Republican National Committee in modern history, served a total of three terms. A successful chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Reince created the framework that brought about one of the most historic election cycles Wisconsin has ever experienced. During Reince’s tenure, Republicans in Wisconsin not only defeated Russ Feingold by electing Ron Johnson to the Senate, but they also gained two additional U.S. House seats, won the Governor’s office, took back both the state Assembly and the state Senate, while defeating the leaders of both of those chambers.
Priebus had the shortest tenure of any non-interim White House Chief of Staff in American history.
Priebus was named by the Milwaukee Business Journal as one of the city's "40 under 40" in 2008. In 2017, Priebus became one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Religion
Priebus is an archon of the Greek Orthodox Church. He attends the Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington for mass regularly.
Politics
As chairman of the Republican National Committee, Priebus was the public face of the party and frequently criticized the policies of President Barack Obama.
Priebus publicly criticized Trump during the early stages of the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, but he later called for party unity. He opposed efforts to deny Trump the nomination at the 2016 Republican National Convention and supported his presidential campaign in the general election.
Views
Reince Priebus believes marriage should be between a man and a woman even though there were reports he had supported that Republicans should be more accommodating about gay rights. He does not look down on same-sex marriages but to him, the best atmosphere in a household is with a mother and father.
Quotations:
"While debates are meant to include tough questions and contrast candidates' visions and policies for the future of America, CNBC's moderators engaged in a series of 'gotcha' questions, petty and mean-spirited in tone, and designed to embarrass our candidates. What took place Wednesday night was not an attempt to give the American people a greater understanding of our candidates' policies and ideas."
"Nomination process known for a year + beyond. It's the responsibility of the campaigns to understand it. Complaints now? Give us all a break."
"I'm not gonna rule out anything, but we're not gonna have a registry based on a religion."
"It's really not about crowd size."
"It doesn't just say Christians. It also says persecuted Muslims get priority as well. So, this is not a Muslim ban.... And the reason we chose those seven countries was, those were the seven countries that both the Congress and the Obama administration identified as being the seven countries that were most identifiable with dangerous terrorism taking place in their country.... Now, you can point to other countries that have similar problems, like Pakistan and others. Perhaps we need to take it further. But for now, immediate steps, pulling the Band-Aid off, is to do further vetting for people traveling in and out of those countries.”
Membership
At the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, he joined the Delta Chi fraternity.
Delta Chi fraternity
Personality
Reince Priebus is extremely likable, very humble and incredibly down to earth with a hilarious sense of humor.
Physical Characteristics:
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Weight: 165 lbs
Hair color: black
Eye color: brown
Quotes from others about the person
"You don't get to tell us what to do, Reince. You don't get to tell us what to do any more than Barack Obama did. Barack Obama whined about Fox News all the time, but I've got to say, he never said we were an enemy of the people." - Chris Wallace
Interests
Sport & Clubs
Reince is a lifelong Packers fan.
Connections
In 1999, Priebus married Sally L. Sherrow, whom he met in church when they were teenagers. They have two children.
