Republican National Committee chief strategist Sean Spicer applauded Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE's recent hire of a Breitbart News executive, lauding his direction of the site and business chops.

"Steve fully understands the pulse of the grassroots. That's what is largely driving this Trump campaign and that's what's at the frustration that is going through this country right now," Spicer said Wednesday on CNN of Stephen Bannon, the Breitbart News executive editor taking a leave of absence to serve as Trump's campaign CEO.

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"Steve, through his work at Breitbart and other places, understands that. But he also knows how to run an organization and business and a successful operation."

He framed the hire of Bannon and elevation of new campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, moves that effectively demoted campaign chairman Paul Manafort, as a "healthy sign of a campaign that understands what needs to occur as we head down these final days."

As the party's top spokesman, Spicer swatted down questions about Breitbart's tendency to take on the GOP establishment and instead noted Breitbart's success in the conservative media landscape.

"You've got to give it to Breitbart — they get millions and millions of viewers on Breitbart TV, on the website, and that's largely been at the direction of Steve," he said.

"He understands the new world that we live in — how to communicate the message effectively, and how to tap into a lot of people who frankly feel the government doesn't understand the frustration they have."

Bannon's hiring is seen as a repudiation of the constant calls for Trump to pivot to a more reserved general-election strategy. But Spicer promised a "very focused, very disciplined" campaign down the stretch.