US: Trump likely to remove Chief of Staff John Kelly; may replace with 36-year-old 'veteran'

Ayers, who is speculated to be Kelly’s replacement, has been hailed as a campaign veteran, a sharp-elbowed strategist with keen political instincts that might make him a better pick than Kelly .

File Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks to the press before making his way to board Air Force One on May 4, 2018 at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland as he heads to Dallas, Texas to address the National Rifle Association Leadership Forum. - Shown (C) is White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. (Photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP)

New Delhi: As US President Donald Trump plans to make several key staffing changes after the crucial results of the mid-term polls, he hinted that the Chief of Staff John Kelly could be stepping down among other key officials. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump said that he is mulling over making changes to three to five positions.  “I have three or four or five positions that I'm thinking about. I need flexibility," he said in the interview. He did not rule out the possibility that his chief of staff John Kelly might be leaving.  He said "At some point he's going to want to move on." It is widely reported that Vice President Mike Pence chief of staff Nick Ayer could be a leading contender to replace Kelly, if Trump decided to remove him. In the wake of the Democrats overpowering the Republicans in the House of Representatives, Trump administration is trying to put the best face on Republican losses in the House. Democrats picked up at least 36 seats in the House of Representatives in the recent midterm elections, giving them control of the lower chamber Ayers, who is speculated to be Kelly’s replacement, has been hailed as a campaign veteran, a sharp-elbowed strategist with keen political instincts that might make him a better pick than Kelly . Trump also informed that there is also a chance that his homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen might be replaced. He said though he likes her, he would like her to be much tougher on the border. Trump has made the security of border with Mexico a prime issue. Another recent staff change replacing Attorney General Jeff sessions with his chief of staff Matt Whitaker is being viewed by analysts as an attempt to make the administration ready for the long-awaited Mueller probe report.