President-elect Donald Trump is considering Richard Haass, who heads the Council on Foreign Relations, as deputy secretary of state, according to news reports.
Haass, 65, worked in both Bush administrations, Politico reports. He also has served as director of policy planning at the State Department and as a senior director on the National Security Council.
He has been president of the Council on Foreign Relations since 2002.
Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton also is reportedly being considered for the post.
Haass visited Trump Tower last Friday, the day before Trump met with Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, whom he said he would nominate as secretary of state, according to Politico.
In May, Trump praised Haass to "Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough.
"I respect Richard Haass, who's on your show a lot," Trump told the MSNBC hosts, The New York Times reports. "And I like him a lot. I have a few people that I really like and respect."
Haass and Trump also met privately in 2015 to discuss global issues, NPR reports.
"I've spent an hour with him there," he said. "I've seen him a few times on and off at golf courses."
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