Homeland Security chief expected to lose job

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is weighing an administration-wide shakeup as he looks to prepare his White House for divided government, with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen expected to be among the next to go, perhaps as soon as this week.

Trump has soured on Nielsen and White House chief of staff John Kelly, in part over frustration that his administration is not doing more to address what he has called a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to two people with knowledge of the issue. But the scope of the contemplated changes is far broader, as Trump gears up for a wave of Democratic oversight requests and to devote more effort to his re-election.

According to people familiar with the situation, Trump is discussing replacing Kelly with Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers. Kelly, a retired Marine general, has been credited with bringing order and process to a chaotic West Wing, but he has fallen out of favor with the president as well as presidential daughter Ivanka Trump and sonin-law Jared Kushner.

Ayers, a seasoned campaign operative, would restore a political mindset to the role, but he faces stiff opposition from some corners of the West Wing.

Others changes are afoot, as Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke are being discussed for replacement. And in an extraordinary move Tuesday, first lady Melania Trump's office called publicly for the firing of Trump's deputy national security adviser, Mira Ricardel.

After reports circulated Tuesday that the president had decided to remove Ricardel from her post, Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's spokeswoman, released a statement that said: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House." Grisham offered no explanation.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the first Nielsen lady's staff and Ricardel had clashed during Mrs. Trump's visit to Africa in October over such things as seating on the airplane.

For all of the talk of churn, President Trump often expresses frustration with aides and then does not take action. Talk of Kelly's exit has percolated for months.

Nielsen had hoped to complete one year in the job and leave in December, but it appears she will not last that long, said two sources, who demanded anonymity.