Mayor Rudolph Giuliani—known to covet the post of secretary of state—will not have a role in President-elect Donald Trump‘s incoming administration, supposedly not because of complications arising from his consulting work for terror-supporting organizations and interests, but due to undefined “reasons for remaining in the private sector.”
Giuliani, Trump and White House chief of staff-to-be Reince Priebus released a joint statement announcing the decision late today, an age-old practice for burying unflattering news. Priebus, the outgoing chairman of the Republican National Committee, stated that America’s mayor “was vetted by our team for any possible conflicts and passed with flying colors”—despite the payments he and his company Giuliani Partners have received from the Islamic State-funding government of Qatar or the registered terrorist group Mujahedin e-Khalq, a banished Iranian political party.
Instead, the president-elect’s press office insisted Giuliani had voluntarily “removed his name from consideration for a position in the new administration” all the way back on November 29.
“Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the Cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector,” said Trump in the statement, leaving open the possibility of a nomination for Giuliani at an unspecified time in the future. “He is and continues to be a close personal friend, and as appropriate, I will call upon him for advice and can see an important place for him in the administration at a later date.”
Giuliani, who went from demurring over whether to back Trump to becoming one of his most strident surrogates, neglected to elaborate on what those “reasons” for preferring not to get a gig in the federal government were. He did, however, claim it was nothing personal.
“This is not about me; it is about what is best for the country and the new administration,” said Giuliani, who last won an election in 1997. “Before I joined the campaign I was very involved and fulfilled by my work with my law firm and consulting firm, and I will continue that work with even more enthusiasm. From the vantage point of the private sector, I look forward to helping the President-elect in any way he deems necessary and appropriate.”
Trump has also considered former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney—one of his loudest critics in the primary season—and disgraced former Central Intelligence Agency Director and retired General David Petraeus for the helm of the State Department, which sets the country’s foreign policy.
Giuliani will remain a vice chairman of Trump’s transition team.
Disclosure: Donald Trump is the father-in-law of Jared Kushner, the publisher of Observer Media.
Will Bredderman, Observer,