Trump weighs candidates for chief of staff

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump is on the hunt for a new chief of staff after announcing Saturday that John Kelly will leave the job by the end of the year. Nick Ayers, chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence, initially considered the front-runner to replace Kelly, will not take the position, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. After months of conversations, Ayers and Trump were unable to agree on a timeline—Trump wanted a two-year commitment, while Ayers only wanted to serve on a transitional basis. Ayers tweeted Sunday that he will leave the White House at the end of the year. He is expected to join America First Policies, a pro-Trump group in Georgia.

The president is reportedly considering a number of candidates for the role, including his former deputy campaign manager David Bossie, U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, House Freedom Caucus chair Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, and acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker. Trump tweeted Sunday night he is in the process of interviewing people for the position and will be “making a decision soon!”