Chris Christie off list of White House chief of staff candidates

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took himself out of contention for White House chief of staff today as President Donald Trump's chaotic search for a new chief inched forward with the feel of an unfolding reality TV show.

Christie cited family reasons in a statement saying he was asking Trump to remove him from consideration. He had met with Trump on Thursday to discuss the job, according to a person familiar with the meeting who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

Christie's departure is the latest twist in a search triggered when Trump's preferred candidate to replace John Kelly bowed out. With no leading name in sight, the void has quickly filled with Trump's specialty: drama.

British journalist Piers Morgan suggested he would be a good fit in an op-ed for "The Daily Mail," while former major league slugger Jose Canseco tweeted his interest to Trump. Speculation has swirled around an array of Trump associates, prompting some to distance themselves from the job.

When former House Speaker Newt Gingrich visited the White House this week, he insisted it was merely to see the Christmas decorations.

The wild process is hardly a novelty for the Trump administration, which has struggled with high staff turnover and attracting top talent, but it underscored the tumult of Trump's Washington.

In past administrations, chief of staff was a sought-after job, typically awarded after a careful process. Now, many view the job as a risky proposition, given Trump's propensity for disorder and his resistance to being managed.

For his part, Trump insisted Thursday that the process is moving along.

"We're interviewing people now for chief of staff," he said, adding that the short list is now "five people. Really good ones. Terrific people. Mostly well-known, but terrific people."