President Trump is reportedly considering replacing his chief of staff, John Kelly, with Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Nick Ayers, in a shake-up that also would see the departure of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
Kelly has been rumored to be on his way out for months. In recent weeks, Trump has been discussing his chief of staff’s future with many of his top advisers, ABC News reported Tuesday.
Sources told the news outlet that Ayers is seen as the leading candidate to replace Kelly and in the last week has met with the president about taking the job.
White House adviser Johnny DeStefano and budget director Mick Mulvaney are also being discussed as possibilities, CNN reported Tuesday.
Kelly has also been fighting to delay Nielsen’s ouster. Nielsen replaced Kelly, her former boss, at the Homeland Security department when he moved to the White House role. The Washington Post reported Monday that Nielsen could get the boot as soon as next week.
Kelly joined the White House in July 2017 to bring order and discipline to a chaotic West Wing, taking over after Reince Priebus was fired.
In July 2018, Kelly told West Wing staff that he will be staying in his post, at the president’s request, through Trump’s first term.
