President Trump has asked John Kelly to stay on as White House chief of staff through the next presidential election, Kelly has been telling White House staffers.
Kelly told colleagues he agreed to remain in his position through 2020, the Washington Examiner confirmed on Tuesday. Kelly was sworn in as Trump’s chief of staff a year ago Tuesday.
“I love it. I love him,” a senior White House official told the Washington Examiner about Kelly’s plans.
[Steve Bannon: No one in the White House is ‘competent enough’ to run Trump’s re-election]
Speculation has been building in recent months that Kelly would step down sometime this summer, though Trump and Kelly have denied such reports. Kelly reportedly told colleagues he didn’t plan on staying past the one-year mark.
Kelly stepped down as Department of Homeland Security secretary last year to take the role in the White House, with the expectation that he would impose more discipline in a chaotic West Wing. Kelly has been seen as less effective in recent months, fueling reports that he would leave.
If Kelly does remain through 2020, he would be on the longest-serving chiefs of staff in White House history.
A day before Kelly’s one-year anniversary, Trump congratulated him on Twitter, sharing a photo of the smiling in the Oval Office.
Congratulations to General John Kelly. Today we celebrate his first full year as @WhiteHouse Chief of Staff! pic.twitter.com/JWCaJ3GhHV
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2018
Gabby Morrongiello contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected clarify that a White House official, not John Kelly, said, “I love it. I love him.”
