I’m not a big fan of Politico, but I just stumbled on this article doing a search on some Trump stuff.

Maybe the Trump method of pitting people against each other works for him in the business world. (Doubtful, considering his actual business record).

But pitting the political snakes around him against each other may cause the whole thing to blow up as people fight for sides and The Big Don watched it all for his amusement.

Maybe it really is more a reality show like The Apprentice than we thought.

Politico - Divisions deepen inside Trump Tower

Donald Trump’s White House-in-waiting is already being roiled by divisions, with the conservative outsiders who helped power his historic victory colliding with a Republican Party establishment muscling its way in.

Insiders paint a picture of constant score-keeping and simmering suspicion within Trump world — one even called it “vitriolic.” And they foresee incoming White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, the party stalwart, and chief strategist Steve Bannon, the populist firebrand, headed for an inevitable clash.

Some have begun to chafe at the power being exhibited by Priebus — who, along with a team of lieutenants, is exerting broad influence over hiring decisions.

During one recent meeting, Trump told former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway and Priebus that Conway, who is aligned with Bannon and is one of the president-elect’s closest aides, would get whatever post she wanted. Priebus jumped in, responding that Conway would take a position in the administration and that he was working with her on a role, according to two people familiar with the exchange.

But Conway, who has been undecided about whether to work for Trump in the West Wing or outside the White House, sharply rejected that assertion.

Priebus, Conway said, doesn’t speak for her.

Trump appeared taken aback. “Oh, she’s tough,” he told Priebus.

Trump, a businessman-turned-politician, has long encouraged competition among factions within his organizations, creating a pressure-cooker environment where almost every decision resulted in a winner and a loser. In the end, one side would be vanquished and another would take its place, and the cycle would repeat.

Trump’s campaign was for months paralyzed as his two top aides, Paul Manafort and Corey Lewandowski, locked horns. Manafort would eventually prevail, with Lewandowski’s firing, but it wasn’t long before Manafort was supplanted by the trio of Bannon, Conway and conservative activist David Bossie.

Now, as Trump builds out his government, little seems to have changed. If anything, transition officials say, Trump seems to be relishing the idea of presiding over a divided administration.

A few weeks ago, Trump, Bannon and Conway rode in a motorcade from Trump Tower to the Long Island estate of Rebekah Mercer, an influential megadonor who has funded conservative causes at odds with the party establishment, for a “Heroes and Villains” costume party. Priebus was conspicuously absent.

When Trump addressed the crowd that evening, he made a point of thanking Bannon and Conway — both of whom are closely allied with Mercer — as well as Mercer herself, according to two people briefed on Trump’s remarks.

Then, Trump asked, “Where’s Reince?”

While it was not clear whether Trump intended the remark as a joke at Priebus’ expense, it nonetheless prompted knowing laughter from attendees, who regarded the chief of staff as unwelcome among the anti-establishment set.

One of the biggest flare-ups centered on the race to succeed Priebus as Republican National Committee chair, an internal battle in which Priebus got the upper hand — but not before it degenerated into an insider-vs.-outsider showdown.

…more at link, big story