Kellyanne Conway’s dangerous game: Angling to become chief of staff?

But according to someone who has worked with Conway and knows her thinking intimately, none of that much matters to Conway. She’s taking a long view in her bid to rise in the White House ranks — and she’s performing for an audience of one: President Donald Trump.

And so while critics may squawk, what matters most to Conway is that Trump sees her defending him on national television.

For Conway, the prize for loyalty is eventually landing a spot as chief of staff, becoming the first woman ever to hold the role and cementing her spot at the center of Trump’s inner circle.

Currently, Conway is seen within the White House as a “Queen without an Army,” according to a former campaign official. Conway has a vague title of “counselor,” and recently hired a chief of staff and an assistant to support her on her quest to dig into the “next phase of issues,” according to Conway. She has taken ownership of opioid-abuse and veterans affairs, a portfolio that Trump cares deeply about. Conway says she plans to turn her office into a war room, and was quick to mention that she has top-security clearance.