A Republican who held one of the most powerful jobs in the Trump administration is now a lowly Navy ensign

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

President Donald Trump hands Chief of Staff Reince Priebus an executive order that directs agencies to ease the burden of Obamacare, after signing it in the Oval Office on January 20, 2017 as White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter looks on.

• Reince Preibus, President Donald Trump's first chief of staff, is officially in the Navy.
• Vice President Mike Pence on Monday swore Priebus in and he's been commissioned as an ensign. 
• Priebus, who's also the former chairman of the Republican National Committee, will reportedly work as a human resources officer.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

President Donald Trump's former White House chief of staff, Reince Preibus, has joined the Navy. 

Preibus, 47, who was also previously the chairman of the Republican National Committee, on Monday was commissioned as an ensign - the lowest officer rank in the Navy. 

The former White House chief of staff and longtime Republican insider will work in the Navy as a human resources officer, according to The Hill. The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from INSIDER. 

He was sworn-in after a months-long application process that included a recommendation from former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Read more: Trump's Iran strategy is failing to reduce tensions as a top general warns the threat to US troops is still 'imminent'

In an application statement submitted to the Navy, which was obtained by The Washington Post, Priebus wrote he felt called to serve following the death of a Navy SEAL during an operation in Yemen early on in Trump's tenure. 

At that moment, the gravity of every action we take in the West Wing rushed down upon my shoulders," Priebus wrote. "Everything suddenly became extremely real and raw. As some time passed, a few other senior aides joined me in the Cabinet Room and we discussed the consequences, harsh realities and weight of what we do every day."

Vice President Mike Pence swore Priebus in at Monday's ceremony, which was also attended by another former employee of the Trump administration, Sean Spicer. 

Spicer, who was Trump's first White House press secretary, is a Navy reserve officer.

Republican lawmakers from Wisconsin, Sen. Ron Johnson and Rep. Bryan Steil, were also in attendance.