U.S.President-electDonaldTrumpandVicePresident-electMikePencearemeetingTuesdayaboutkeyappointmentsintheirnewgovernment,withaidessignalingthatformerNewYorkMayorRudyGiulianicouldbenamedsecretaryofstate.
TrumpandPencehavemorethan4,000jobstofillintheU.S.governmentastheypreparetoassumepowerJanuary20,buttheirimmediatefocusisonfillingthetopdiplomaticpostandthatofdefensesecretary,attorneygeneralandHomelandSecuritychief.Allarepositionsthatpresentthegovernment'sfacetotheworldandhelpleadthecountry'sfightagainstterrorism.
The72-year-oldGiulianihasnopreviousforeignpolicyexperience;but,Trumpassociatessayhehasemergedasanarrowfavoritetobecomesecretaryofstate.HewasaloyalsupporterofTrumpduringthebillionairerealestatemogul'slengthyrunforthepresidencyleadingtohisstunningupsetwinaweekago,oftenappearingontelevisionnewsshowstopromotetheTrumpcandidacy.
Theblunt-spokenGiulianigainednationalprominenceduringhistenureasNewYorkmayormorethanadecadeago.FormanyAmericans,hebecameasymbolofU.S.resolveinthefightagainstIslamicterrorismintheaftermathofthe2001terroristattacksonNewYorkandWashingtonthatkillednearly3,000people.
Atthetime,hesaid,"TomorrowNewYorkisgoingtobehere.Andwe'regoingtorebuild,andwe'regoingtobestrongerthanwewerebefore...IwantthepeopleofNewYorktobeanexampletotherestofthecountry,andtherestoftheworld,thatterrorismcan'tstopus."
Giuliani'sappointment,however,isnotcertain.Trumpaidessaythepresident-electalsoisconsideringothernames,includingthatofJohnBolton,ahawkishformerdiplomatwhowasthecountry'sUnitedNationsambassadorunderPresidentGeorgeW.Bush.BoltonhasbeenaregulartelevisioncriticoftheforeignpoliciesofPresidentBarackObama,contendingthathehasneedlesslydiminishedthecountry'sstandinginworldaffairs.
