TRENTON -- At least one thing is now certain when it comes to Gov. Chris Christie possibly serving in President-elect Donald Trump's administration: He won't be White House chief of staff.

Trump announced Sunday he's giving that role to Republican National Committee chairman Reince Preibus, who was born in New Jersey.

He also revealed that Stephen Bannon, the Breitbart News chairman who helped run Trump's campaign, will serve as his chief strategist and senior counselor.

Those were Trump's first two hires in the wake of his surprising victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.

There had been reports that Christie -- a top Trump adviser and one of the first significant Republicans to endorse the former Atlantic City casino tycoon earlier this year -- was a contender for chief of staff, if not U.S. attorney general.

But Christie's relationship with Trump has appeared uncertain in recent days. On Friday, Trump removed the New Jersey governor as chairman of his transition team and made him one of several vice chairs instead -- a move that political experts said was a demotion.

Christie thanked Trump in a statement Friday "for the opportunity to continue to help lead in this next phase."

On Sunday, the New York Post reported that Trump has been distancing himself from Christie in the wake of the Bridgegate trial verdict, in which two of the governor's former allies were convicted on charges they closed lanes at the George Washington Bridge in 2013 in a case of political payback.

Reince Priebus (left) and Stephen Bannon (right)

It's possible Christie could still receive a role in Trump's cabinet -- though experts say it's unlikely to be attorney general because the Bridgegate trial could be a stumbling block to him receiving U.S. Senate confirmation.

Other potential positions include secretary of the Homeland Security or Commerce departments. Experts say there's also a chance the governor could replace Priebus as Republican National Committee chairman -- or that he could land a job in the private sector.

Trump sometimes had a rocky relationship with Priebus during the Republican primary as many GOP leaders questioned the candidate's sometimes controversial comments and behavior. But Priebus became a clear supporter -- and defender -- after Trump secured the party's nomination this summer.

Priebus' hiring suggests that Trump, who pitched himself as an outsider who would clean up Washington, is open to working with party leaders -- such as U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) -- despite their disagreements in the past.

The Bannon hire, meanwhile, leans in the opposite direction. Bannon, the head of conservative website Breitbart News, is an influential figure in the anti-establishment wing of the GOP. He has also faced criticism for espousing views related to the "alt-right," a movement that often pushes nativist and White Nationalist views.

Trump tapped Bannon as his campaign's CEO in August to help rebound from a period of tumult.

In a statement Sunday, Trump said he was Priebus and Bannon "work as equal partners to transform the federal government, making it much more efficient, effective and productive."

"Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory," Trump added. "Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again."

Priebus spent his early years in Morris County. He was born in Dover and lived in nearby Netcong until he was 7, when his family moved to Wisconsin.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.