WASHINGTON: Nick Ayers, Donald Trump’s top choice to be his next chief of staff, is no longer in the running and the US president is now considering other candidates, sources familiar with the matter said, the latest sign of a chaotic White House staff shake-up.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Republican Representative Mark Meadows, chairman of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, are among the possible contenders to replace current White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, one source said.
Ayers, 36, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence and known as a skilled Republican political tactician, had been in discussions for months about taking the job, but was unable to agree to terms with Trump, another source said.
Ayers tweeted that he would instead be leaving the White House soon, apparently to return to his home state of Georgia. One of the sources said Ayers would return to “America First Policies,” a combative group that he helped found before joining Pence in the White House.
“I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause,” he wrote on Twitter, in a reference to Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again.” One source said Trump had sought a two-year commitment from Ayers but that he was unable to agree to that. Ayers, the father of young triplets, was willing to serve only until the spring of 2019 for family reasons, an administration official said earlier.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A source familiar with Mnuchin’s thinking said Mnuchin sees his role at Treasury as best suited to help the president and feels very committed to remaining in his current position.
A spokesman for Meadows had no comment on the matter.
REPLACING KELLY
With Ayers out of the running, it is unclear who will take over the top administrative post in the West Wing at a time Trump has been weakened by Democrats winning control of the House of Representatives in congressional elections last month.
Trump will decide on his new chief of staff by the end of the year, the sources said. The president said on Saturday that Kelly would leave the post by year’s end.
Trump brought Kelly in last year to restore order to his White House, but has clashed repeatedly with the retired Marine Corps general in recent months. The two men were no longer on speaking terms, according to one source with direct knowledge of the situation.
The constant staff upheaval at all levels has left Trump’s White House grappling to try to advance his policies. Many of the resignations have come under pressure.
— Reuters
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