Conservative columnist John Podhoretz — who writes for the New York Post and is the editor of Commentary — told MSNBC on Sunday that he doesn’t buy Nick Ayers rationale for turning down the White House chief of staff gig.

“That’s a lot of crap,” he said. “I’m sorry, I don’t know Nick Ayers, I’m not saying he’s a liar, but people don’t get offered the White House chief of staff job very often. He was the Vice President’s chief of staff. This is the center of the action. This is the red hot center of world politics, and world power, and he is going back to Georgia after being the chief of staff to the less important guy? I’m not buying it.”

Ayers announced on Sunday that he would be returning to Georgia at the end of the year to spend time with his family, after reports swirled that President Trump was set on hiring Ayers to replace White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Trump told reporters on Saturday that Kelly would leave at the end of the year, ending months of speculation that Kelly was on his way out of the administration. Trump and Kelly’s relationship has reportedly dissolved to the point of not speaking to one another in recent days.

Podhoretz suggested he thinks Ayers wants to get out of the administration before the results of the Russia probe damage his political career.

“I think he wants out precisely for the reason that you’re outlining which is he doesn’t want to be anywhere near all of this as the storm descends on the West Wing,” he said.