Trump names top aid Kellyanne Conway as counselor to president

WASHINGTON - US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named top aid Kellyanne Conway as the counselor to the president, an on-and-off senior position in the White House.

"Kellyanne Conway has been a trusted advisor and strategist who 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." Trump said in his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago.

"I am humbled and honored to play a role in helping transform the movement he has led into a real agenda of action and results," Conway said.

Trump's transition team said in a statement that Conway 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 counselor to the president is a high-level position created under the Richard Nixon administration, the role of the position varied from president to president and sometimes stayed vacant.

The last Counselor to the president was John Podesta who left the office in 2015.

Trump has previously named Stephen Bannon as senior counselor.