White House sources told CNN on Friday that Kelly's relationship with the president, often reported as tumultuous, is no longer seen as "sustainable" and will likely lead to Kelly's ouster in the near future.
Nick Ayers, a longtime aide to Vice President Pence currently serving as Pence's chief of staff, is being mentioned as a potential replacement, according to CNN.
Rumors of Kelly's departure have been frequent, yet he has held on to his position.
Seeking to quell similar reports, the White House over the summer said tensions between Trump and Kelly has cleared and that the chief of staff had agreed to stay on through the 2020 presidential cycle.
The former secretary of Trump's Department of Homeland Security, Kelly joined the White House in July of last year following the resignation of former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus.
In April, Kelly issued a public statement denying reports from NBC News that he referred to the president as an "idiot" during conversations with colleagues and mocked Trump's lack of policy knowledge.
"I spend more time with the president than anyone else and we have an incredibly candid and strong relationship," Kelly said at the time.
"I am committed to the president, his agenda, and our country," he added. "This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration's many successes."
Ayers, who joined Pence's White House team last year, has long been considered a potential successor to Kelly and previously served as Pence's chief political strategist when Pence was governor of Indiana.
Reader Comments
...At least when he talks about all the girls he's loved before, it will be put to a melody!