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Trump and Romney hash out the future over frog legs

Mitt Romney, once a fierce critic of Donald Trump, praised the president-elect following a dinner of soup with frog legs, scallops, steak, and lamb chop. 

First Look

Some break bread to put the past behind them. President-elect Donald Trump and Mitt Romney dined on frog legs.

The lavish dinner at a French restaurant in a Trump hotel in Manhattan on Tuesday marked the latest chapter in Mr. Romney鈥檚 transition from a fierce critic of the president-elect during the Republican primary to a top contender for secretary of State. While the courtship hasn鈥檛 been well received by some members of Mr. Trump鈥檚 transition team, Trump would be following the example set by the Obama administration if he were to put aside campaign rivalries and choose Romney as secretary of State.

Following the dinner, Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, all but apologized in efforts to make amends with Trump and move forward.

He praised Trump for a 鈥渕essage of inclusion and bringing people together鈥� since he won the general presidential election on Nov. 8.

Romney also referenced the cabinet positions Trump has filled for his administration, and said the president-elect desires greater unity among Americans.

鈥淎ll of those things combined give me increasing hope that President-elect Trump is the very man who can lead us鈥� to a better future, he said.

The former governor's tone is notably different than his sharp criticism of Trump during the campaign. In a March speech in Utah, Romney said Trump , as The Wall Street Journal reported.

鈥淚f we, Republicans, choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished,鈥� he said at the time. 鈥淒onald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He鈥檚 playing the members of the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House, and all we get is a lousy hat,鈥� he added.

But after Trump鈥檚 victory, Romney and Vice President-elect Mike Pence met to settle their differences. Following a Nov. 19 meeting at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Romney said he and Trump had a 聽鈥�.鈥� Since then, Romney鈥檚 name has emerged alongside that of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a longtime friend and Trump loyalist, as the main contenders for the top cabinet post.聽Trump is also considering retired Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly and Sen. Bob Corker (R) of Tennessee for the post.

Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee chairman whom Trump named his chief of staff, has been pushing for Romney to become secretary of State, a Republican source close to the transition effort told Reuters. Mr. Priebus joined Trump and Romney for the lengthy dinner on Tuesday, which included garlic soup with frog legs, scallops, steak, and lamb chop. 聽

But Romney鈥檚 name on this short list hasn鈥檛 resonated with other members of Trump鈥檚 transition team. Former house speaker Newt Gingrich, who has openly supported Mr. Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, and Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Trump, have all publicly raised their objections to the idea of Romney as secretary of State.

鈥� to think that Governor Romney, who went out of his way to question the character and the intellect and the integrity of Donald Trump, now our president-elect, would be given the most significant Cabinet post of all, secretary of State,鈥� Ms. Conway told NBC鈥檚 鈥淢eet the Press鈥� on Sunday, as she slammed Romney on the morning political-show circuit. 鈥淭hey feel a bit betrayed to think that you can get a Romney back in there after everything he did.鈥�

Trump has already nominated other critics to key cabinet positions. He named South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as ambassador to the United Nations. Ms. Haley, the daughter of Sikh immigrants, clashed with Trump over his comments about Mexicans and Muslims and endorsed Sens. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida and Ted Cruz (R) of Texas during the Republican primary. Trump also named Betsy DeVos as secretary of Education. Ms. DeVos was a delegate for Ohio Gov. John Kasich at the Republican National Convention. Both cabinet positions require Senate confirmation.

Even though Trump has been said to value loyalty, his consideration of Romney and other critics isn鈥檛 unusual. President Obama was credited with bringing together a 鈥溾�� for his administration. Vice President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had both run against Mr. Obama during the 2008 Democratic primary.

This report contains material from the Associated Press and Reuters.聽