Still, Mr. Christie has remained close to the president and was considered one of the top prospects for replacing Mr. Kelly, who is scheduled to leave the White House in a few weeks. Mr. Christie, according to several White House officials, had some of the key characteristics of what Mr. Trump wants in a chief of staff. Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, who said publicly that he was interested in the job, was ruled out by the White House on Tuesday. For Mr. Christie, who has two children in high school, the job would have been a personal sacrifice. Mr. Christie has a memoir coming out next year, which is expected to touch on his tenure as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey.

Source: New York Times December 14, 2018 19:17 UTC