Update: In a stunning repudiation of the Trump Administration, Chris Christie has reportedly turned down Trump's offer to take over as chief of staff. Echoing a statement released by Nick Ayers, Christie said that "now is not the right time for me or my family to undertake this serious assignment."
Christie declines the chief of staff role. His statement: pic.twitter.com/DiZb5r01z0
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) December 14, 2018
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Is there anybody left in Washington who wants to be President Trump's third chief of staff?
After four people - including one-time front-runner Nick Ayers, OMB head Mick Mulvaney and Freedom Caucus leader Mark Meadows - turned down offers to succeed General John Kelly as President Trump's chief of staff, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has reportedly emerged as the leading candidate.
JUST IN: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is the leading candidate to be Trump's next chief of staff, according to 2 people familiar with the matter pic.twitter.com/BUCnwFR6xx
— TicToc by Bloomberg (@tictoc) December 14, 2018
Chirstie, who worked on Trump's inauguration (which has recently become the target of a criminal probe) before being summarily fired by Trump and pushed out of his transition team, reportedly met with Trump in the residence following a White House Christmas event Thursday night. And reports published Friday morning suggested that the president had narrowed the search down to three candidates: His son-in-law Jared Kushner, Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer and Christie. As should come as no surprise, just the rumor that Kushner was being considered elicited widespread outrage. And Lighthizer is already occupied with managing the ongoing trade war.
The notion that Christie might take such a senior job in the White House is almost too hard to believe, considering that Christie prosecuted and jailed Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Ivanka.
Still, Christie has long been angling for a job in the administration. And this could be his last and best hope. In any case, we should know for sure soon: The White House has said that an announcement of Trump's pick is 'imminent'.
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