US President Donald Trump on Friday sent his beleaguered chief of staff Reince Priebus packing, replacing him with retired Marine Corps general and current Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.

"I am pleased to inform you that I have just named General/Secretary John F Kelly as White House Chief of Staff," Trump said on Twitter.

He is a Great American... and a Great Leader. John has also done a spectacular job at Homeland Security. He has been a true star of my Administration."

Kelly's Department of Homeland Security is responsible for enforcing border security and has taken a tough line on immigrants inside the United States.