Alexander urges Trump to add Corker to his presidential cabinet

Tennessee's senior senator Lamar Alexander visited the Chattanooga Times Free Press for a conversation with the newspaper's editorial board.  Senator Alexander discussed such topics as solar power and overtime pay issues.
Tennessee's senior senator Lamar Alexander visited the Chattanooga Times Free Press for a conversation with the newspaper's editorial board. Senator Alexander discussed such topics as solar power and overtime pay issues.
photo U. S. Senator Bob Corker meets with members of the Chattanooga Time Free Press editorial board Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

More about Trump's team

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., today urged President-elect Trump to include his fellow Tennessee senator, Bob Corker, in his presidential cabinet next year.

"I'm a big fan of Bob Corker," Alexander told the Chattanooga Rotary Club today. "I think one of the first indications we are going to get as to what kind of president Donald Trump is going to be who he puts around him and if he wants a really good secretary of state or secretary of treasury, he will pick Bob Corker."

Corker, a former Chattanooga mayor who is in his second term in the U.S. senate and chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, was briefly considered as a candidate for the vice presidential position in the Trump ticket earlier this year. Corker said he withdrew his name from consideration for that job, but he has not ruled out serving in a Trump administration.

Last month, Corker was named to Trump's national security advisory council.

Following Tuesday's election, Corker's name has again been floated by Republican leaders as a candidate to help Trump reach out to the GOP leadership in Congress and to gain Washington D.C. experience in his administration, which begins when Trump will be sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2017.

On Wednesday, Corker said "it's way too soon" to sepeculate about him taking any position with the newly elected president.

"Responding to conjecture is not good for your health," he told reporters.

Corker told Politico "there's no discussions" about him being secretary of state as yet, but he refused to say if he would take the job if offered. Corker told Politco he's happy to "provide any input" to Trump on his cabinet searches.

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