Donald Trump Replaces Chris Christie With Mike Pence as Head of Transition Team
— -- President-elect Donald Trump has asked his running mate, Mike Pence, to take over the transition team efforts from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, ABC News has confirmed.
The announcement, which was initially reported by The New York Times, comes amid speculation over whether members of Trump's inner circle will tapped for cabinet positions.
"I am proud to have run the pre-election phase of the transition team along with a thoroughly professional and dedicated team of people," Christie said in a statement.
"As we now enter the post-election phase, I look forward to working with Vice-President Elect Pence and the rest of the leadership team to implement that template as we prepare for January 20, 2017," he said.
Along with Christie, who was named a vice chair of the transition, the five others announced with that title are all well-known Trump surrogates: Dr. Ben Carson, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Jeff Sessions.
A statement from the Trump campaign also announced that a number of Trump's family members and other longtime supporters have been named to the transition team executive committee, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner. RNC chairman Reince Priebus, Trump campaign CEO Steve Bannon, tech billionaire Peter Thiel, and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi were also on the list.
Sen. Jeff Sessions and Gen. Keith Kellogg will also have expanded roles in the transition efforts as well, sources said.
Today's announcement comes after Pence was with Trump when he met with President Obama in the White House. Pence met with Vice President Joe Biden. From there, Trump and Pence met with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill.
"Mike’s presence in the meeting... is an indication of the role Mike will play," an aide said immediately following their trip to Capitol Hill. "I think you will see Mike having a very active role as a liaison on Capitol Hill with both Leader McConnell and with Speaker Ryan."
ABC News' Ines de la Cuetara contributed to this report.
