Donald Trump on Mitt Romney dinner: There was "actually a good chemistry"
Even as his transition staff continues its public fight over secretary of state contenders, President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on one controversial potential cabinet member: Mitt Romney.
Mr. Trump, who met with Romney for dinner in Manhattan earlier this week, spoke with Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt in an interview that aired Friday.
On Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee and a vocal critic of Mr. Trump throughout the campaign trail, the president-elect said “he’s been very gracious.”
“Don’t forget -- I hit Mitt pretty hard also, I mean, before the fact so I understand how it all works,” Mr. Trump said. “He’s been very, very nice.”
Commenting on the meal they shared Tuesday night, Mr. Trump said “It was great. There was actually a good chemistry. There was a really good chemistry with him and also with President Obama.”
He added that he “had a great talk” with Mr. Obama.
Mr. Trump’s friendliness toward the 2012 GOP nominee comes just as his transition advisers have taken to TV to openly air their grievances against the president-elect’s former foe.
On Friday, Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser on the Trump transition team, spoke to “CBS This Morning” about the possibility that Romney could be chosen as the nation’s top diplomat.
Conway defended her past outspoken criticism of Romney, saying she was just passing on the “breathtaking backlash” against the former presidential candidate.
“There are four people as of yesterday,” Conway added of the State Department contenders. “That list may expand, that list may narrow.” Though she didn’t name them, the four are former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Romney, former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus (ret) and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee.