GOP lawmaker predicts Kushner will be Trump’s next chief of staff

A Republican lawmaker on Friday predicted that President Trump will select his senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner as his next chief of staff.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said during an appearance on Fox News that his “informed guess” was that Kushner will succeed outgoing chief of staff John Kelly.

Trump has said he is weighing a handful of candidates to replace Kelly, who has served in the position since July 2017 and is slated to leave the White House at the end of this month.

“I believe the president views this conflict period coming up with House Democrats as one where he needs loyalist people closest to him,” Gaetz said on Fox.{mosads}

“I’ll go ahead and make that prediction, that Jared Kushner will be the next chief of staff.”

Kushner, when asked about Kelly’s departure earlier this week, told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that Trump will make his decision when he is ready.

“Hopefully he’ll choose someone he’s got great chemistry with, a great relationship with, who will help him navigate the next couple of years, with all the good opportunities that will emerge, to keep pushing forward,” Kushner said.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters on Thursday night that she was not aware whether Kushner was under consideration for the role.

“But as I think all of us here would recognize, he will be great in any role that the president chooses to put him in,” Sanders said. “He has done a tremendous job on a number of fronts, whether it was on trade or what we’ve seen play out over the last week on criminal justice reform. He’s done a great job on all those efforts.”

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Friday ruled out serving as Trump’s chief of staff.

Nick Ayers, who currently serves as Vice President Pence’s chief of staff, was seen as the top contender for the position but removed himself from consideration days ago.

Outgoing House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), another possible candidate, said this week that he is “fully committed” to continuing to serve in the House.