CLOSE President Donald Trump’s administration continues to see turnover as he announced John Kelly, the White House Chief of Staff, will be leaving by the end of 2018. USA TODAY 
 
 White House Chief of Staff John Kelly attends a meeting on infrastructure with state and local officials in the State Dining Room of the White House Monday. (Photo: MANDEL NGAN, AFP/Getty Images) 
 
 WASHINGTON – White House chief of staff John Kelly, who was assigned to bring a level of discipline to President Donald Trump’s often chaotic administration, is leaving the post after internal tensions increasingly spilled into public view. 
 
 "John Kelly will be leaving toward the end of the year,” the president told reporters Saturday as he left the White House for the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia. 
 
 Trump, who called Kelly “a great guy" despite their clashes, said he will announce a successor – perhaps an interim one – in a few days. 
 
 The president was careful not to describe Kelly's exit as a firing, saying that “John Kelly will be leaving – I don’t know if I can say ‘retiring.’" He thanked the former Marine general for his long years of public service. 
 
 Kelly himself has not commented publicly since reports emerged Friday that he would be leaving soon. 
 
 This is only the latest staff change as Trump shakes up his team in the wake of last month’s congressional elections in which Republicans lost control of the House. Trump has also removed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, and is said to be eyeing other changes. 
 
 House Speaker Paul Ryan described Kelly as "a force for order, clarity, and good sense." 
 
 More: Nick Ayers passed on chief of staff job. Who else declined White House gigs? 
 
 More: White House departures: Who's been fired and who resigned 
 
 The Kelly news is not a surprise. 
 
 Chris Whipple, author of "The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency," said the Trump-Kelly relationship has been "a lousy marriage" for months. 
 
 "No surprise though it was the longest political death watch ever," said Whipple. "Alas, Kelly will be regarded as one of the least effective WH chiefs. Much of that is on Trump, who did not want someone who could tell him hard truths. 
 
 Kelly's decision ends a tumultuous 17-month tenure in which he tried, but largely failed, to bring a Marine Corps-style order to a White House that has hewed more closely to the freewheeling management style Trump embraced as a New York businessman. 
 
 The retired four-star general had sought to build a tighter organization around Trump, limiting access for staff who grew accustomed to Trump's open-door policy in the Oval Office. But the 68-year-old Kelly increasingly found himself sidelined by a president who chafed at being "managed" by others. 
 
 David Cohen, a political scientist at The University of Akron, said the change will probably amount to “little” in the day-to-day operation of the Trump White House. 
 
 “Trump has never empowered his chief of staff to actually be a real chief,” Cohen said. “Trump is his own chief in many ways and unwilling to give up any power to his chief subordinate. Until he is willing to make some significant changes to his own management style, nothing will change.” 
 
 While officials in July had said Kelly had agreed to stay on through the 2020 election, some of those same officials said more recently that he might move up his timetable. They said Trump has sounded out aides about possible replacements. They include Vice President Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers. 
 
 In the beginning, Kelly was able to streamline Trump’s schedule and squelch the flow of information that reached his desk – some of which was not vetted before it was repeated on his Twitter feed. On his first day in July 2017, Kelly ousted Trump’s bombastic communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, after he unloaded on colleagues in an interview. 
 
 Gradually, however, Trump beat back some Kelly's restrictions, and occasionally complained he was being cut off from friends. Members of Trump's family, including first lady Melania Trump, also complained about Kelly's attempts to limit access. 
 
 Months after he followed former Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus into the job, reports emerged that Trump had frozen Kelly out, and the president was repeatedly forced to deny murmurs that "the general" was soon to be ousted. 
 
 Kelly had to publicly dispute reports he once called Trump "an idiot," that he cast himself as "the lone bulwark against catastrophe" from Trump, and that he got into a shouting match with National Security Adviser John Bolton over Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's performance on border security. 
 
 ‘Crazytown’ 
 
 Journalist Bob Woodward quoted Kelly describing the Trump White House as “Crazytown.” 
 
 Trump brought Kelly into a White House riven by internal feuds in July 2017. Weeks after ousting Scaramucci, Kelly orchestrated the departure of senior adviser Steve Bannon, an architect of Trump's campaign who clashed with other members of the staff. 
 
 After firing Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price for spending taxpayer money on high-priced charter flights, he insisted that any future such flights be approved by him personally. And after a scandal over lax security clearances, he rescinded top-level clearances for a number of high-level staffers – including the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. 
 
 While Trump was careful to praise Kelly in public, the two repeatedly clashed behind the scenes. The chief of staff found himself left out of certain meetings and decisions by or involving the president. 
 
 For example, Kelly was not dialed in when Trump phoned Russian President Vladimir Putin in March to congratulate him on winning re-election in Russia. During his first months on the job, Kelly listened in on all foreign leader calls. 
 
 Also, the chief of staff was not involved in Trump's decision to hire Bolton as his new national security adviser, an appointment he announced by tweet. Kelly had made it known he was opposed to Bolton in the days before his selection. 
 
 At one point, Trump mused about doing away with the chief of staff post altogether, and have various department heads report to him directly. He reportedly told aides he was tired of being told “no” by Kelly. 
 
 Still, as Kelly passed the one-year mark in July, administration officials said Trump had asked the chief of staff to stay on through the 2020 election. Kelly told staff members he had accepted the request. 
 
 Recent tension 
 
 In recent weeks, however, some administration officials expressed concern that Kelly would leave if Trump dismissed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, one of Kelly’s proteges. 
 
 As Trump announced Kelly's departure on Saturday, Nielsen remained on the job. 
 
 Other White House officials praised Kelly for bringing much-needed organization to a notoriously undisciplined president and staff. 
 
 His military mind and organizational skills were seen as a good counterpoint to Trump's often impulsive style. Still, Kelly often found himself at the center of stories of White House intrigue. 
 
 After Trump told the widow of a soldier killed in Niger that "he knew what he signed up for, Kelly attacked a congresswoman who criticized Trump for being insensitive. He called Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., an "empty barrel" and "all hat, no cattle." He then falsely claimed that Wilson took credit for an FBI building in her district. 
 
 He was slow to take action on Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, who was able to work for more than a year with an interim security clearance until a British tabloid revealed allegations of domestic violence from his two ex-wives. Even then, he initially put out a statement defending Porter until asking for his resignation a day later. 
 
 After many of those episodes, Trump defended his chief of staff on Twitter. He said Kelly was "doing a fantastic job," that he was "one of the finest people I know," and that "I could not be happier or more impressed." 
 
 He also seemed to give conflicting signals on the president's support for key administration officials – just before they were fired. 
 
 Correction: This story has been updated to remove extraneous word in the first sentence. 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/08/john-kelly-out-donald-trump-chief-staff/339220002/ ||||| President Donald Trump talks with new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly after he was privately sworn in during a ceremony in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump, Monday, July 31, 2017, in... (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — Raised voices could be heard through the thick door to the Oval Office as John Kelly — then secretary of Homeland Security — offered some tough talk to President Donald Trump. 
 
 Kelly, a whip-cracking retired general who was sworn in as White House chief of staff on Monday, had demanded to speak to the president alone after Trump complained loudly that the U.S. was admitting travelers from countries he viewed as high risk. 
 
 Kelly first tried to explain to Trump that the admissions were standard — some people had legitimate reasons to visit the country — but the president insisted that it was making him look bad, according to an administration official familiar with the exchange about a month ago. 
 
 Kelly then demanded that other advisers leave the room so he could speak to the president frankly. Trump refused at first, but agreed when Kelly insisted. 
 
 It was an early indication that Kelly, a decorated retired Marine general who served three tours in Iraq, is not afraid to stand up to his commander-in-chief. 
 
 Tapped to bring order to a chaotic West Wing, Kelly began to make his mark immediately on Monday, ousting newly appointed communications director Anthony Scaramucci and revising a dysfunctional command structure that has bred warring factions. From now on, said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, all senior staffers — including the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and chief strategist Steve Bannon — will report to Kelly instead of the president. 
 
 Kelly "will bring new structure, discipline and strength" to the White House, Sanders said. 
 
 "It definitely has the fingerprints of a new sheriff in town," said Blain Rethmeier, who guided Kelly through the Senate confirmation process for the Homeland Security post. Rethmeier said that what stood out about Kelly during the time they worked together was the way Kelly commanded respect from everyone he encountered — and the way he respected others. 
 
 Kelly drew praise from lawmakers of both parties Tuesday. 
 
 Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., expressed confidence that Kelly can help restore order, saying on NBC's "Today" show that "the Marines have landed at the White House. They have a beachhead." 
 
 And Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois told CNN that Kelly "is in a position where he can stabilize this White House, that's good for this country. The president has to be part of that." 
 
 Jason Miller, a senior communications adviser during the Trump presidential campaign, predicted on CNN that Kelly's next move will be to put people in place that will help the president. He suggested Kelly should convince ousted press secretary Sean Spicer to stay on, at least through the tax overhaul effort. 
 
 Kelly fostered a reputation as an outspoken commander who didn't shy away from unpopular opinions during his military career. Rethmeier said that Kelly also respects authority deeply — "and that's something that Trump sort of smells out, if you respect him or not." 
 
 "If he disagrees with you, he'll disagree respectfully," Rethmeier said. 
 
 It was a point Kelly made clear during his confirmation hearing in January. 
 
 "I have never had a problem speaking truth to power, and I firmly believe that those in power deserve full candor and my honest assessment and recommendations. I also value people that work for me speaking truth to power," he said. 
 
 In April, Kelly bluntly challenged members of Congress critical of the Trump administration's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement to either change the laws or "shut up." 
 
 But after being confirmed as part of Trump's Cabinet, Kelly also tried to moderate some of the president's hard-line positions, even as he publicly defended them. 
 
 Hours after Trump said deportations of people in the U.S. illegally were being carried out as a "military operation," Kelly said the U.S. would not enlist the military to enforce immigration laws. 
 
 Kelly and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, another retired general, were also said to have been deeply frustrated with the rollout of Trump's refugee and immigration ban, and made clear to associates that they were not involved in drafting it or aware of its details around the time that Trump signed the original order. Both moved swiftly to address gaps in the measure, with Mattis asking that Iraqis who helped U.S. troops be exempt and Kelly clarifying that green-card holders would not be affected. 
 
 Nonetheless, Kelly launched a particularly robust defense of the order to lawmakers and reporters, which was welcomed by the White House. 
 
 Mattis and Kelly also agreed in the earliest weeks of Trump's presidency that one of them should remain in the United States at all times to keep tabs on the orders rapidly emerging from the White House, according to a person familiar with the discussions. The official insisted on anonymity in order to discuss the administration's internal dynamics. 
 
 Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn, said Monday that he discussed Kelly's appointment with Trump and hopes Kelly "will do everything possible to bring the appropriate discipline and focus that needs to be at the White House there." 
 
 "I hope that Gen. Kelly will absolutely, forcefully clean the place up," Corker said. "And anybody who's been a violator, who's been a part of public backbiting, part of undermining, who's been part of feathering their own nest at other people's expense, I hope they'll all be gone." 
 
 David B. Cohen, a University of Akron political science professor writing a book on chiefs of staff, applauded Kelly for doing "things that should have been done on Day One of Reince Priebus's tenure." He said Scaramucci's removal sent a clear message "that going off-script and being undisciplined" would no longer be tolerated at the White House. 
 
 But Cohen wondered how long Trump would go before undermining Kelly. 
 
 "President Trump is his own worst enemy," he said. "He instinctively likes to be his own chief of staff and he's a pretty awful one. Will he be able to resist messing with the system once John Kelly cleans everything up? Will he listen to his chief of staff when Kelly has to tell Trump, 'No?'" he asked. 
 
 "I'm not sure President Trump is wired to be able to listen to that type of criticism," he said. 
 
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 Follow Salama and Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/vmsalama and https://twitter.com/colvinj 
 
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 Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report. ||||| FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2017 file photo, Vice President Mike Pence, left, attends a meeting with Georgia opposition leaders in Tbilisi, Georgia. Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Nick Ayers, is right.... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE - In this Aug. 1, 2017 file photo, Vice President Mike Pence, left, attends a meeting with Georgia opposition leaders in Tbilisi, Georgia. Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Nick Ayers, is right. Ayers, President Donald Trump's top pick to replace John Kelly as chief of staff, is no longer expected... (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's top pick to replace chief of staff John Kelly, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill the role. 
 
 Ayers, who is chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, was seen as the favorite for the job when Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would leave around year's end. But a White House official said Sunday that Trump and Ayers could not reach agreement on Ayers' length of service and that he would instead assist the president from outside the administration. 
 
 Ayers confirmed the decision in a tweet Sunday, thanking Trump and Pence for giving him the opportunity to work in the White House. "I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause," he said. 
 
 It was not immediately clear whether Trump had a new favorite for the post. The official was not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. 
 
 Ayers and Trump had discussed the job for months. The new hire was to be key to a West Wing reshuffling to shift focus toward the 2020 re-election campaign and the challenge of governing with Democrats in control of the House. 
 
 Trump wants his next chief of staff to hold the job through the 2020 election, the official said. Ayers, who has young triplets, had long planned to leave the administration at the end of the year, and had only agreed to serve in an interim basis through next spring. 
 
 Ayers will run a pro-Trump super PAC, according to a person familiar with his plans who was not authorized to discuss them by name. 
 
 Trump said Saturday that he expected to announce a replacement for Kelly in a day or two. 
 
 With Ayers out of the running, Trump is considering four candidates for the post, including Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney, according to a person familiar with the president's thinking. He is to make a decision by the end of the year, said the person, was not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name. 
 
 Kelly, whose last day on the job is set to be Jan. 2, had been credited with imposing order on a chaotic West Wing after his arrival in June 2017 from his post as homeland security secretary. But his iron first also alienated some longtime Trump allies, and over time he grew increasingly isolated, with an increasingly diminished role. 
 
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 Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed to this report. 
 
 Follow Miller on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller
– It's official: John Kelly is leaving the White House. "John Kelly will be leaving toward the end of the year," said President Trump while heading out for the Army-Navy game Saturday, USA Today reports. Rumors had been swirling after White House sources said Kelly was on his way out—and Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence's most senior aide, might be taking his place, per the Wall Street Journal. "Stop calling John [Kelly] for anything," President Trump was quoted as saying. "Call Nick. He's my guy." But Trump aides warned that Ayers was more a Pence advocate, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reportedly criticized Ayers' foreign-policy skills. On the plus side, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner—who have bristled under Kelly's command-and-control style as chief of staff—are said to be pro-Ayers. Kelly repeatedly clashed with Trump and lost some West Wing authority during his 17-month tenure, per CNN. A former Marine Corps general, Kelly imposed discipline on a freewheeling White House but saw Trump work around his who-gets-to-see-Trump-when rules. Kelly also made his own problems, erupting in a profanity-laced exchange with national security adviser John Bolton, engaging in a "near brawl" with informal Trump adviser Corey Lewandowski, slamming Rep. Frederica Wilson with false information, and apparently mishandling the abuse scandal around ex-staff secretary Rob Porter. Kelly also denied reports that he'd called Trump "an idiot" and considered himself "the lone bulwark against catastrophe" in Trump's White House. Trump called Kelly "a great guy" in announcing his departure.