Last Updated Dec 9, 2018 4:55 PM EST
Nick Ayers, who was considered the favorite to take over as White House chief of staff, failed to reach an agreement with President Trump and will not be taking the job, multiple senior White House officials tell CBS News. Ayers, who is currently Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, will instead leave the administration and take a job at a pro-Trump super PAC.
Mr. Trump and Ayers, as CBS News has reported, had been negotiating possible terms for the job. Sources said Ayers offered to serve as interim chief of staff, but Mr. Trump wanted him to commit to serving for least two years, which Ayers declined. The 36-year-old father of three young triplets will instead move back to his native Georgia, as he had long planned before the chief of staff job opened up.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Ayers was out of the running. His departure means the search for outgoing chief of staff John Kelly’s successor continues. Ayers backing out will slightly delay Mr. Trump’s decision, which will now be announced by the end of the year instead of this week.
Ayers confirmed his departure from the administration in a tweet.
“Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House,” Ayers wrote. “I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause. #Georgia.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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