(Bloomberg) -- President-elect Donald Trump has widened his search for a secretary of state, as published reports hint he may be souring on two of the previous frontrunners, one-time critic Mitt Romney and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Speaking to reporters Sunday at Trump Tower, which the billionaire developer turned politician has used as the center of his transition effort, senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said Trump plans to hold more meetings this week with candidates for the job. She declined to name any new hopefuls.
“It's true he's broadened the search,” Conway said as guards and police screened those entering the building and tourists milled about. “He's very fortunate to have interest among serious men and women, all of whom need to understand that their first and foremost responsibility as secretary of state would be to implement and adhere to the president-elect's America first foreign policy and be loyal to his view of the world.”
The Associated Press, citing two sources close to the transition, said Trump has grown wary of Giuliani's international business ties and public campaigning for the job. At the same time, the AP reported Trump is leery of angering supporters by tapping Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who called him a “fraud” and a “conman” months ago.
Conway, who managed Trump's campaign, said in late November on NBC's “Meet the Press” that she was “just astonished at the breathtaking volume and intensity of blowback that I see” against the possibility of Romney serving as the nation's top diplomat.
Others in Trump's inner circle, including incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, had been said to be pushing for consideration of Romney, the person said.
Vice-president elect Mike Pence, on NBC's “Meet the Press,” said Trump has been winnowing the list of contenders to be the top U.S. diplomat, but that the field could also “grow a little bit.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Terrence Dopp in Trenton at tdopp@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Stephen Merelman at smerelman@bloomberg.net, Ros Krasny, Molly Schuetz
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