Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) nearly laughed in former vice president Mike Pence's face when he asked him to withdraw his criticism of Donald Trump.
The Utah Republican denounced Trump as a fraud and phony during the 2016 presidential campaign, but Romney gave serious consideration to Pence's offer during the post-election transition to meet with the president-elect to discuss the possibility of serving as secretary of state, according to excerpts from a forthcoming book published by The Guardian.
“Looking back on it later,” wrote author McKay Coppins, “Romney would acknowledge that his willingness to entertain Trump’s offer was propelled by a mix of noble motivations and self-centered ones.”
Romney met with Trump at his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey, and he told the former president, Jared Kushner and advisers Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus that he would accept the job on four conditions – standing weekly meeting with the president, control of foreign policy, selecting his own deputies and veto powers over ambassadorial appointments.
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"[He] dreaded the prospect of overseeing a diplomatic corps polluted by Paul Manaforts and Roger Stones,” Coppins wrote, referring to two Republican operatives who were eventually convicted of crimes in connection with their work for Trump, who later pardoned both men.
Trump raised no objections to those conditions and then dismissed his aides, telling Romney he was “right out of central casting … perfect … just what I need."
But Pence then told Romney he must tell the media that he had been wrong to condemn Trump, according to the book, and tell reporters “that what you’ve learned has given you much more confidence in him being president."
“Romney nearly guffawed,” Coppins wrote, adding that Romney pointed out that it would look ridiculous if he changed his mind after only a one-hour meeting. “It would not occur... until later that Trump didn’t care about the sincerity of the retraction – he wanted a show of subjugation, nothing more.”
