According to Mike Pence, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is under “serious” consideration for the position of Secretary of State in the Donald Trump administration.
“Governor Romney is under active and serious consideration to serve as Secretary of State of the United States,” Mike Pence told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
Romney and Trump met over the weekend and apparently had a successful face-to-face despite a bitter relationship during the campaign. Romney was one of the more outspoken opponents in the Republican ranks of a Trump presidency. However, after the meeting, the former governor seemed to be striking a more conciliatory tone.
–Trump advisor proudly compares himself to Dick Cheney and Satan–
“I appreciated the chance to speak with the president-elect and look forward to the coming administration,” Romney told reporters after the meeting, calling their conversation “far-reaching.”
In considering Romney for the position of Secretary of State, the Trump administration could be seen to be trying to unite with the establishment wing of the Republican party after several controversial picks for other cabinet positions that appeal more to the right-wing base that propelled Trump into the presidency.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul praised the choice of Romney for the position as “reasonable” and “even-keel” while slamming former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former ambassador John Bolton, the other choices being considered for Secretary of State. He specifically pointed to the fact that both Bolton and Giuliani advocated for regime change in Iraq.
“That doesn’t sound like diplomacy; it sounds like war,” Paul said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”