Nick Ayers, the chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, will not succeed President Donald Trump's current chief of staff John Kelly, Ayers confirmed in a tweet Sunday. He had been considered the front-runner to the role after the president announced Saturday that Kelly would leave the position by year's end.
"Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House," Ayers said in a tweet Sunday afternoon after multiple outlets reported he won't be the next White House chief of staff. "I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause."
The Wall Street Journal was the first outlet to report that Ayers would not be Trump's next chief of staff.
Citing White House officials, The Journal reported that Ayers, 36, told Trump he couldn't commit to spending more than the first three months of next year in the job. Trump ultimately decided he wanted his next chief of staff to serve for a longer time frame, the outlet reported.
Trump said Saturday that he will name Kelly's replacement soon. On Sunday night, the president tweeted that he was "in the process of interviewing some really great people for the position."
Republican Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney have been mentioned as top candidates for the job.
