Trump leaning toward Romney for secretary of State: report

President-elect Donald Trump is leaning toward nominating 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to be his secretary of State, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

{mosads}Two sources told the Journal that Trump is inclined to pick Romney for the position. The president-elect considers Romney to be the prototypical choice for the job, according to the report. 

Trump and Romney met over the weekend at Trump’s golf course in New Jersey to discuss foreign policy, a meeting that Vice President-elect Mike Pence described as “warm” and “substantive.”

Still, Romney and Trump feuded during the campaign, with Romney once calling Trump a “con man,” a “phony” and a “fraud” while Trump frequently criticized the former Massachusetts governor for “choking” in his loss to President Obama.

Trump aide Kellyanne Conway has insisted the two will be able to leave the past behind them to work together. 

The Journal reported Tuesday that others are urging the president-elect to select former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the cabinet position. Giuliani was one of Trump’s staunchest supporters on the campaign trail.

Prominent Trump surrogate Newt Gingrich told reporters Monday that while he plans to support whomever Trump selects, he sees “huge advantages” to selecting Giuliani.

“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 a better pick and has the right temperament,” the former GOP Speaker said. 

Trump is also likely to name retired Marine Gen. James Mattis as secretary of Defense, according to the Journal. 

“He is the real deal. He is just a brilliant, wonderful man. What a career,” Trump said of Mattis after meeting with him Saturday. 

Trump is also likely to name South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, according to the Journal. If selected, she would be the first woman and first minority to join Trump’s administration.