President Donald Trump’s pool of potential candidates for the now-vacant chief of staff position seems to be shrinking. USA Today reports the Republican congressman for North Carolina, Mark Meadows, will not be taking the job once held by Reince Preibus and more recently John Kelly. According to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump believes that Meadows is doing “an incredible job” in Congress and should stay there.
USA Today notes that some of the other contenders in the running for the job include former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, current White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, former campaign aide David Bossie, and current Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
“I know the President has a long list of tremendous candidates for his next Chief of Staff, and whomever it is will have my total support moving forward,” Meadows said in response to the news that he won’t be getting the job he’d previously expressed a desire to do.
He had also previously told the Washington Post that he would be “honored” to be chief of staff if he was chosen.
But others who are reportedly being considered have indicated that they have no desire to replace John Kelly when he leaves the White House at the end of the year. Mnuchin has said that he is happy at his current job, Politico reports, and there’s speculation that Mulvaney may be more interested in getting the top job at the Commerce Department. There was also talk that Trump was eyeing New York Yankees President Randy Levine for the post but Levine has said that those claims are untrue.
As the Inquisitr previously reported, Trump has insisted that he’s not having any trouble finding a new chief of staff, even though his first choice to replace John Kelly, Nick Ayers, turned him down.
“Fake News has it purposely wrong. Many, over ten, are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position.,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “Why wouldn’t someone want one of the truly great and meaningful jobs in Washington. Please report news correctly. Thank you!”
As the host of The Apprentice, Donald Trump became famous for his penchant for firing people. But the high turnover of key White House staff including chiefs of staff may be hurting him in his quest to find a new one.
Politico notes that the chief of staff position used to be a sought-after job that launched high-profile political careers. But that was before Donald Trump was elected. Reince Preibus was reportedly taunted by President Trump while he was in the post. John Kelly was touted as the tough military man who would be able to “discipline” Trump, but it looks like that was a job too difficult for even a retired US Marine Corps general.
BREAKING: Republican Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina is no longer under consideration to be President Donald Trump’s chief of staff pic.twitter.com/5GcwQbBpMF
— POLITICO (@politico) December 12, 2018