TRENTON -- President-elect Donald Trump offered Gov. Chris Christie numerous positions in his incoming administration, but the New Jersey governor turned them down, two sources with knowledge of Trump's transition efforts told NJ Advance Media.

The sources said those jobs included Cabinet-level posts like Homeland Security secretary and Veterans Affairs secretary, as well as other posts, like a White House advisory role and U.S. ambassador to Italy.

But the sources noted Christie, a longtime Trump friend and adviser, was not offered the role of U.S. attorney general -- a post the governor reportedly coveted.

And sources confirmed earlier this week that Christie would not assume another job he lobbied for: chairman of the Republican National Committee. The sources requested anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.

Thus, despite months of speculation over where Christie might land in Trump's White House, it appears likely the governor will indeed remain in New Jersey to finish out his second and final term, which ends in January 2018.

The sources said Christie did not consider any of the posts he was offered to be a good fit for him.

The revelations come amid questions over why Christie and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani -- two of Trump's most loyal allies throughout his campaign -- did not receive the jobs they were hoping for as Trump prepares to assume the Oval Office. Trump, a celebrity real estate mogul, has repeatedly said loyalty is paramount to him.

But while Giuliani was seeking to become U.S. secretary of state, Trump released a statement Friday saying the mayor had withdrawn his name for consideration.

The New York Times reported Friday that while Giuliani was offered numerous other positions, including attorney general, he declined.

Trump ultimately chose another ally, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, as attorney general.

Citing anonymous Trump advisers, the Times reported that Trump's inner circle had issues with both Giuliani and Christie -- including the shadow of the George Washington Bridge scandal that has hung over Christie.

Christie has been friends for nearly 15 years with Trump, a former Atlantic City casino magnate. And in February, shortly after ending his own bid for the party's presidential nomination, the governor was one of the first major Republicans to endorse Trump for the White House -- a decision that was widely ridiculed among many establishment members of the GOP.

In May, Trump named Christie the chairman of his transition team and reportedly was close to naming him his running mate. The governor was then reported to be a top contender for attorney general or another Cabinet post.

But shortly after his victory in the general election last month, Trump replaced the governor as transition chair and demoted him to one of several vice-chairs.

Christie began to assert in public that he planned to remain governor instead of working for Trump in Washington D.C.

"For some reason, people think I'm equivocal about this," the governor said during a news event at the Statehouse on Nov. 29. "And I'm not. I'm completing my term."

Then, last week, reports emerged that Christie was angling to replace Reince Priebus -- Trump's incoming White House chief of staff -- as RNC chair, possibly running the party as a volunteer while remaining governor.

But the chairmanship has commonly been a full-time post. And one source said Priebus wanted to pick his own successor.

Another source said Christie and Trump mutually decided he wouldn't assume the chairmanship and noted that the governor wanted to "stop the rampant speculation."

That source said Christie is still close with Trump and will remain an informal adviser, adding that the governor is "really at peace" with how the situation unfolded.

Christie will begin his final year as governor with his popularity among Garden State voters at an all-time low. Recent polls show Christie's job approval rating has dropped into the teens.

The governor has also left open the possibility of leaving the state "if something extraordinary happens in the world where my service is needed."

"That's not being equivocal about it," Christie said at the November news event. "That's understanding what the real world is. But I want you to all take a deep breath and relax."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.