Yankees president downplays interest in White House chief of staff job

New York Yankees President Randy Levine downplayed his interest in the White House chief of staff job on Monday as reports emerged that he was under consideration to succeed John Kelly. 

“I have spoken to nobody about the chief of staff job,” Levine said in a statement to Fox News. “I have grest [sic] respect for the President but am very happy being president of the Yankees.” 

@FoxNews exclusive from Randy Levine: “I have spoken to nobody about the chief of staff job. I have grest respect for the President but am very happy being president of the Yankees” @Yankees @MLB @realDonaldTrump

— Ed Henry (@edhenry) December 10, 2018

{mosads}NBC News reported earlier in the day that Levine was being considered for chief of staff alongside Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Trump campaign deputy manager David Bossie, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. 

Levine, who was hired as Yankees president in 2000, is a longtime Trump supporter and Republican political veteran. Levine was principal associate deputy attorney general and principal deputy attorney general in the Justice Department under former President Reagan.

He also served as New York City’s deputy mayor for economic development, planning and administration under Mayor Rudy Guiliani, who is now Trump’s lawyer.

Many of those on Trump’s shortlist of possible chiefs of staff have expressed reluctance to accept the position, according to multiple reports.

“Sources tell us some of Trump’s White House chief of staff contenders are signaling they’re not interested, including Rep. Mark Meadows and White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who are said to have a hard time getting to ‘yes’ if asked,” NBC News White House correspondent Geoff Bennett tweeted on Monday afternoon.