Rudy Giuliani will not serve in Donald Trump’s incoming administration, the President-elect announced Friday.
Trump’s transition team released a statement Friday saying Giuliani removed himself from consideration for a position on November 29, the day Trump had a well-publicized dinner with Mitt Romney.
“Rudy Giuliani is an extraordinarily talented and patriotic American. I will always be appreciative of his 24/7 dedication to our campaign after I won the primaries and for his extremely wise counsel,” Trump said in the statement. “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 will continue to serve on as a “Vice Chairman of the Presidential Transition Team,” the organization said.
Giuliani, one of Trump’s earliest supporters, was being considered for secretary of state — perhaps the most high-profile Cabinet positions in government. But his consideration was quickly overshadowed by meeting with other high-profile individuals, including Gen. David Petraeus Romney.
“This is not about me; it is about what is best for the country and the new administration,” Giuliani explained in a statement.