Gingrich: Giuliani ‘better’ than Romney for State

Newt Gingrich says former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) is a better choice to be President-elect Donald Trump’s secretary of State than Mitt Romney.

“I think there are huge advantages to Rudy Giuliani frankly,” he told reporters in Trump Tower in New York City Monday, according to pool reports.

{mosads}“I think that, if you want someone who is going to go out and be a very tough negotiator for America and represent American interest in the way that Trump campaigned, I think that probably Rudy is the better pick and has the right temperament,” the former GOP House Speaker added.

“Because we’re going to need somebody who is a fighter. We’re going to need somebody — the world is not going to change just because we show up and say please. If that was going to work, Secretary [of State John] Kerry would be successful.”

Gingrich added Romney and Trump may differ too much philosophically for the 2012 GOP presidential nominee to become secretary of State.

“I think they’ve got to talk it through. I think that entirely is a question of the president-elect and deciding whether in fact Romney would be willing to be his secretary of State or in fact Romney would work to make Trump Romney’s version of the presidency. I am for whoever the president-elect picks.”

Reports emerged last week Trump is considering Romney to helm the State Department despite their often bitter clashes in the past. 

Romney fiercely criticized Trump during the 2016 presidential race, making him one of the most prominent Republicans to oppose the party’s ultimate nominee. Gingrich and Romney were heated rivals when the pair both ran for the White House in 2012.

Trump met with Romney on Saturday in Bedminster, N.J., fueling chatter the former GOP governor of Massachusetts may join his incoming Cabinet.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence on Sunday, meanwhile, said Romney is under “active consideration” for Trump’s secretary of State.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, whom Trump tapped for White House chief of staff, added Sunday Giuliani also remains in the running for the post.

Gingrich reiterated after his Monday meeting with Trump that he does not want a formal position in the administration.