Donald Trump meeting fierce critic Mitt Romney as he builds top team

Donald Trump will meet one of his severest critics, Republican stalwart Mitt Romney, as speculation suggests he could be offered a top job in his new cabinet. The president-elect continues to build his transitional team and US media have suggested he could be offered the post of secretary of state.

As the billionaire selects the team which will serve at his top table eyebrows have been raised by some of the selections but Romney's appointment could be the most surprising for analysts. As the real estate mogul surged to the Republican nomination and then the presidency Romney called Trump a "fraud" and "phony".

Trump, in typical bombastic style said Romney's unsuccessful campaign against Barack Obama in 2012 was "the worst ever".

In March this year Romney accused Trump of bullying, misogyny and dishonesty and said that Trump did not have "the temperament nor the judgement to be president".

He added that "his promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University" in reference to class-action lawsuit brought by three former students which Trump settled on Friday 18 November for $25m (£20m). The New Yorker responded by mocking Romney, calling him a "failed candidate".

Asked about the Romney meeting, in Bedminster, New Jersey, Sean Spicer, a spokesman for the presidential transition, told reporters according to the BBC: "The president-elect wants the best and brightest people to put this country forward: people who supported him, people who didn't support him.

"The conversation with Mitt Romney is just that: an opportunity to hear his ideas and his thoughts," Spicer added.

So far Trump has chosen Jeff Sessions attorney general was rejected from becoming a federal judge in 1986 because of alleged racist remarks. His new security adviser Lt Gen Michael Flynn has said before that "fear of Muslims is rational".

Media reports suggested early on that former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani was favourite to become the new secretary of state. Ex-ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, Tennessee Senator Bob Corker and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley are also in the running.

Other appointments include party insider Reince Priebus as chief of staff, Mike Pompeo as CIA director and Stephen Bannon as chief strategist.

Trump is also rumoured to be settling the position for defence secretary on Saturday with James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps also meeting him. Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas had met Trump the day before in consideration for the role, according to reports.