Rudy Giuliani rules out taking up post in Trump administration

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani will not join President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration after he takes office next month, it has emerged. The outspoken 72-year-old had been a candidate for the top cabinet job of Secretary of State, but had come under scrutiny in the US media over business dealings that could pose conflicts of interest. On Friday, Mr Trump’s team announced that Mr Giuliani had removed his named from consideration during a meeting on 29 November.

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.

Donald Trump statement

In a statement, he said: “Rudy would have been an outstanding member of the cabinet in several roles, but I fully respect and understand his reasons for remaining in the private sector.CNN reported on Friday, citing an unnamed source, that Mr Giuliani had been told he was no longer in contention for the top US diplomatic post.