It’s musical chairs in the West Wing

The search is on for a new communications director, but as the Washington pundits name favourites it seems that uncertainty will continue

As the game of musical chairs in the Donald Trump administration gets into full swing, a wide pool of possible candidates has emerged to fill key vacancies.

The US president is looking for a replacement for John Kelly at homeland security now that he is the White House chief of staff, and he needs a new communications director after Anthony Scaramucci was fired after 10 days.

After Mr Kelly’s appointment at the White House, the department of homeland security said Elaine Duke, the current deputy secretary, would become acting secretary until Mr Trump appoints a permanent replacement to be confirmed by the senate.

Ms Duke is a confidante of Mr Kelly and is praised by both sides of the aisle in congress.

While Ms Duke could emerge as a permanent replacement, other reports have named three main contenders for the job.

Politico listed Republican chairman of the house homeland security committee, Michael McCaul, as a leading contender.

Mr McCaul would have a smooth sailing in the confirmation process but is criticised by some in Mr Trump’s base and border security hawks for not being aggressive enough on illegal immigration and implementing the travel ban.

They would prefer someone like Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach or Thomas Homan, acting director of US immigration and customs enforcement, also touted by Politico for the job.

Tom Bossert, serving Mr Trump as a homeland security adviser, is another name circulating in Washington for the post.

Speculation also includes attorney general Jeff Sessions, whom Mr Trump has hinted at moving from the department of justice. However, strong opposition from Republicans in congress to pushing Mr Sessions out makes such a reassignment unlikely.

Filling Mr Kelly’s position appears to be a simpler task than finding a successor for Mr Scaramucci inside the White House, given the level of turmoil inside Mr Trump’s team in the last two months.

While no interviews have been reported for candidates for the job, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seen as a possible replacement.

Ms Sanders is one of the few names who moved from the campaign and gained more trust from the US president, as others such as Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer and Stephen Bannon were either ousted or ridiculed.

Laura Ingraham, a radio talk show host loved by the right, is another name that has emerged to replace Mr Scaramucci. Ingraham was approached before for the press secretary job and she criticised Mr Scaramucci and recommended his removal. Other names circulating include Mr Trump’s former campaign aide Katrina Pierson, a Tea Party activist whose appointment would be cheered by the base, but is unlikely to sit well with Mr Kelly.

The new chief of staff is exercising more control and authority in managing the White House.

Five hours after he was sworn in, John Kelly took his first decision – firing Mr Trump’s last hiring.

The downfall of Mr Scaramucci less than two weeks after taking his position is a move that Republicans hoped would bring some stability and normality to the presidency.

His departure stood in contrast with the 10-day period of chaos and hyperbole that Mr Scaramucci brought to the job since he entered the building on July 21. Ironically, Mr Scaramucci was hired based on the recommendation of Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared to bring some order to the president’s message, according to The New York Times.

In that short period, Mr Scaramucci helped oust three aides, among them former chief of staff Mr Priebus, launched a foul-mouthed attack against two senior officials, called a journalist elitist and threatened “to fire everybody”.

Mr Scaramucci’s firing came at the request of Mr Kelly the

Times said and while Mr Trump was pleased with his former aide’s flamboyant approach, he changed his mind.

Mr Kelly, known for his no-nonsense approach, could help bring some normality and stability to the Trump ship after a rocky start and stumbles in congress, Josh Kraushaar, politics editor at The National

Journal, said. “Mr Trump’s affinity for generals and an empowered chief of staff” would be welcomed by congress.

Others, however, have said the problem is in the product, not in the package at the White House.

“There is scant reason to think that Kelly will have any more success in imposing discipline on a president who has been just as chaotic in government as he was in running his business,” Max Boot, a foreign policy expert, said in Commentary magazine.

“Will Kelly be able to stop Trump from tweeting or stop Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, from having ‘walk-in’ privileges to the Oval Office?” asked Mr Boot. His answer: “The problem is that, quite simply, no staffer can tell the president of the

Washington’s talking heads can speculate all they like about staff but for some, Mr Trump remains the wild card