Chris Christie is a top contender for the White House chief of staff job, according to a new report.
President Trump met with the former New Jersey governor Thursday as he weighs who will replace John Kelly, Axios reported.
“He’s tough; he’s an attorney; he’s politically-savvy, and one of Trump’s early supporters,” a source familiar with Trump’s thinking told the news outlet.
Trump told reporters Thursday he had five people he was considering for Kelly’s replacement. Kelly is expected to depart at the end of the year after 18 months in the role.
The Huffington Post reported the president’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner was also in the running. Other news outlets reported that Kushner is not under consideration.
Christie and Kushner have had a fraught relationship. Christie, who was previously U.S. attorney for New Jersey, sent Kushner’s father, Charles, to federal prison in 2005 for tax evasion, witness tampering, and making illegal campaign donations.
[Opinion: Trump doesn’t really want a chief of staff at all]
