Trump celebrates Kelly’s first year as COS

US President Donald Trump is celebrating his chief of staff’s survival for a full year on the job.

White House chief of staff John Kelly with Donald Trump

Donald Trump is celebrating his chief of staff’s survival for a full year on the job.

The US President congratulated John Kelly in a tweet that includes a photo of the two men smiling.

He writes: “Congratulations to General John Kelly. Today we celebrate his first full year as (at) WhiteHouse Chief of Staff!”

Mr Trump also marked the occasion during an Oval Office swearing-in ceremony of Robert Wilkes as the new secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Mr Kelly’s fate has been a subject of months of speculation as his standing in the West Wing has diminished.

Mr Trump has at times sounded out allies about potential replacements, and Mr Kelly has told people he would be happy if he made it to the one-year mark. It was July 28 of last year when Mr Trump announced the retired four-star Marine Corp general, then serving as homeland security secretary, would replace Reince Priebus, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

AP