Corker: Giuliani, Bolton ‘more likely’ to get Trump nod as secretary of state

Senator Bob Corker speaks during the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016. Senator Bob Corker speaks during the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016.

By Andy Sher November 17, 2016 13 min read

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani pauses as he arrives at Trump Tower, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

More about Trump’s team

NASHVILLE – U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., says it’s “more likely than not” that President-elect Donald Trump will pick someone other than him as secretary of state.

“Look, I know I’m in the mix, but I also know that there are some people who’ve spent a great deal of time with the president-elect throughout the course of the campaign,” the former Chattanooga mayor said. “I know there are some long-term friendships and these are people that also are being considered for this position.”

In an interview Wednesday, Corker also defended Trump’s transition operation.

“When President Obama came in, he announced, I guess, Secretary [Hillary] Clinton and his national security team on Dec. 1,” Corker said. “And the election this year, as you know, was actually a little bit later than the norm in November. So it’s still early and he could announce very quickly who the [secretary of state] person is going to be.”

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and one-time U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton are also said to be in contention.