President Trump is considering Jared Kushner to replace outgoing chief of staff John Kelly, according to the Huffington Post.
Kushner – already an official Whiter House adviser – is reportedly one of five finalists Trump told reporters he had narrowed the pool down to on Thursday, while Kushner – Trump’s son-in-law, has indicated he is interested in the job according to a “top Republican close to the White House” in a statement to the Post.
Kushner and Trump are said to have met on Wednesday to discuss the role.
Kushner has been pushing his own candidacy with Trump, citing his work on a criminal justice reform package and a claimed ability to work with Democrats, one person said. “I don’t know why he thinks that, when the Democrats are mainly going to be coming after Trump,” the source said. –HuffPo
On Thursday Trump told reporters “We are ijnterviewing people now for chief of staff,” following the Saturday announcement that current chief of staff John Kelly would leave “toward the end of the year.”
After Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff Nick Ayers announced his withdrawal from consideration after being favored as the top pick for the job.
“Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause,” wrote Ayers.
Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause. 🇺🇸 #Georgia
— Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018
While Kushner is reportedly on Trump’s short-list for chief-of-staff, it is unclear who the other finalists are – though the thought of Newt Gingrich (or Jared Kushner) chasing Trump around the West Wing trying to get him to sign documents is hilarious.
Former deputy campaign manager David Bossie is scheduled to have lunch with Trump Friday at the White House. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is also thought to be under consideration, while Trump is soliciting names from the legal community in New York City, where he lived his entire life before winning the presidency in 2016.
After Ayers turned the job down, Trump tried to recruit Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, top economic adviser Larry Kudlow and North Carolina Republican Congressman Mark Meadows, all of whom declined, one source said. –HuffPo
Despite concerns over nepotism, perhaps Kushner is the perfect man for the job; after all, Mexico awarded him with the Order of the Aztec Eagle two weeks ago – the highest honor given to foreigners, typically reserved for kings, princes, dukes and emperors. And Jared Kusnner.
via RSS https://ift.tt/2GozSgW Tyler Durden