Nick Ayers, Trump’s once-likely replacement for chief of staff Kelly, won’t take the job

WASHINGTON – Nick Ayers announced Sunday that he is leaving the White House and will not be President Donald Trump’s next chief of staff, with four other candidates now in the running to succeed John Kelly as Trump eyes a decision by the end of the year.

Ayers, a longtime operative who is currently Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, said in a tweet that he will leave his position at the end of the year but “will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause.”

“Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House,” he said.

Ayers was skeptical of taking the top administration job based on the challenges that Kelly and his predecessor, Reince Priebus, faced in the position, according to an administration official with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

He will instead probably move back to Georgia and work with a super PAC set up to assist the president’s reelection, the official said.

Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would leave the White House by the end of the year, closing out his rocky tenure.