President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team wants former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to publicly apologize for going after him during the election season.
Earlier this year, Romney and Trump got involved in a high-profile spat, with Romney describing the incumbent president as a “fraud” and “phony.” Trump, meanwhile, called Romney a “choker” during his 2012 campaign against President Barack Obama. “He’s a choke artist, I can’t believe it. Are you sure he’s a Mormon, are we sure?” Trump added.
Now, a transition official has told Fox News that some in Trump’s inner circle want Romney to apologize to be considered for the position of secretary of state, The Hill reported on Friday. This comes about a week after Trump and Romney met, ramping up speculation about Romney possibly serving in the Trump administration.
Some of Trump’s supporters also lamented Trump’s meeting with Romney.
“It’s not about that I don’t care for Mitt personally, but I’m still very unhappy that Mitt did everything he could to derail Donald Trump,” said Trump supporter Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, in a Fox interview on Wednesday.
Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway acknowledged the anger that some Trump supporters have expressed over Romney potentially serving. “Receiving deluge of social media & private comms re: Romney,” Conway tweeted on Thanksgiving morning.
Some also believe that Trump is leaning toward selecting former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the coveted position.
Romney described his meeting with Trump last Saturday in Bedminister, New Jersey, as “very thorough and in-depth discussion in the time we had,” he told reporters.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Fox News host Sean Hannity also voiced their concerns over Romney possibly being tapped for the job.
“Gov. Romney wanted to be president, not secretary of state, and you have to ask the question: When he goes overseas is he going to be the secretary of state for President Trump, or is he going to be Mitt Romney’s own secretary of state?” Gingrich asked.
