Donald Trump had dinner last night with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as the president-elect’s search for his next secretary of state intensifies.
Romney, an outspoken Trump critic prior to Trump winning the election, is under “active consideration” for the position, according to Vice President-elect Mike Pence. He had a “far-reaching conversation” with Trump earlier in the month. But that wasn’t enough to persuade Trump, and some close to him, including his spokesperson Kellyanne Conway, have publicly argued against the move.
The two sat down with Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, who is set to become Trump’s White House chief of staff, at Jean-Georges, a three-Michelin-star restaurant located in Trump International Hotel and Tower New York.
https://twitter.com/hunterw/status/803768610325860352
The details of their conversation haven’t been disclosed, but for much of the internet, we don’t need to. Romney’s forced smile appears to say it all.
— Chris Moody (@moody) November 30, 2016
https://twitter.com/johngreen/status/803782208465080320
.@MittRomney YOU IN DANGER, GIRL. pic.twitter.com/NTFfzHm0B7
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) November 30, 2016
https://twitter.com/jbillinson/status/803783972673163264
https://twitter.com/Atom_Murray/status/803778029595938816
I found the uncropped version of that Trump and Romney photo. pic.twitter.com/VdeLh3QnB1
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) November 30, 2016
Mitt Romney is me every time I go on a first date pic.twitter.com/659nSst6rg
— Hunter Schwarz (@hunterschwarz) November 30, 2016
When he doesn't look like his pictures: pic.twitter.com/ZP3JmkuFVB
— Tyler Thurston (@reedthurston) November 30, 2016
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) November 30, 2016
"What's for dinner, Donald?"
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) November 30, 2016
"Your dignity" pic.twitter.com/TRFIh56cEe
https://twitter.com/thelindywest/status/803829667669086208
good morning pic.twitter.com/TYa94KGEK7
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) November 30, 2016
Maybe the photographer just caught Romney at a bad time.
After the meal, as Trump was entering his motorcade, Romney stopped to talk with reporters. He praised Trump for doing something he never did: win the general election.
“By the way, it’s not easy winning,” he said. “I know that myself. He did something I tried to do and was unsuccessful in.”
Romney also said he has “increasing hope that President-elect Trump is the very man who can lead us.”