title: Surprise Picks Emerge as Trump's Cabinet Takes Shape
content: President-elect Donald Trump is working around the clock to lay the foundation for his administration .
  Trump announced Friday that he plans to nominate Sen. Jeff Sessions , R-Ala. , as attorney general and Rep. Mike Pompeo , R-Kan. , as CIA director , the first selections to his cabinet as his transition continues to build momentum .
  Former Massachusetts Gov . Mitt Romney , the 2012 GOP candidate for president , is also reportedly being considered for a cabinet position .
  Sources on the president-elect 's transition team say Romney is under consideration for a top cabinet position in the Trump administration .
  The past relationship between the two men has been less than diplomatic .
  `` Think of Donald Trump 's personal qualities : the bullying , the greed , the showing off , the misogyny , the absurd third grade theatrics , '' Romney said during the campaign .
  `` Mitt Romney 's made a total fool of himself , '' Trump responded . `` Did you ever see a guy like this ? He had his shot . He had his shot . He did n't like it when I said he choked like a dog . He choked like a dog . ''
  Trump is offering former military intelligence chief Michael Flynn the position of national security advisor . It 's unclear whether Flynn , a retired army general , has accepted the job .
  Flynn was a fierce critic of President Barack Obama 's military and foreign policy long before he began advising Trump on national security issues during the campaign .
  The American Center for Law and Justice ( ACLJ ) said today the selection of Sessions and Pompeo reveal that President-elect Trump is dedicated to elevating `` excellent leaders '' to key positions within his Administration .
  “ These choices are fantastic . Both are excellent leaders who will help set the tone for a Trump Administration that is serious about upholding the Constitution and the rule of law while elevating our intelligence capabilities at a time when our country is facing grave danger from terrorists , ” said Jay Sekulow , Chief Counsel of the ACLJ . “ As Attorney General , Sen . Sessions will bring stability and credibility back to a troubled Justice Department under the Obama Administration . Sen . Sessions has the knowledge , leadership , and capability to restore the institutional credibility at the Justice Department . ''
  Despite media criticism that the Trump transition team is in `` chaos '' and `` disarray , '' President Obama 's former senior advisor , David Axelrod , defended the incoming president from unfair press coverage as he transitions into the White House .
  `` Lots of reasons to be concerned about @ realdonaldtrump transition , but the pace of the announcements is n't one of them , '' Axelrod tweeted . `` That 's not a fair shot . ''
  He continued , `` We had n't made any major appointments at this point in 2008 . I do n't remember being criticized for it . ''
  Meanwhile , Vice President-elect Mike Pence asked for prayer Thursday while talking to congressional Republicans .
  As he ended his comments , Pence said , `` Pray for the president ; pray for his family ; pray for our conference and pray for the country , '' according to Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington .
  Newly elected Republican conference Vice Chairman Doug Collins of Georgia , a pastor , got up and led the prayer .
content_original: President-elect Donald Trump is working around the clock to lay the foundation for his administration.
  
  Trump announced Friday that he plans to nominate Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., as attorney general and Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., as CIA director, the first selections to his cabinet as his transition continues to build momentum.
  
  Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP candidate for president, is also reportedly being considered for a cabinet position.
  
  Sources on the president-elect's transition team say Romney is under consideration for a top cabinet position in the Trump administration.
  
  The past relationship between the two men has been less than diplomatic.
  
  "Think of Donald Trump's personal qualities: the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics," Romney said during the campaign.
  
  "Mitt Romney's made a total fool of himself," Trump responded. "Did you ever see a guy like this? He had his shot. He had his shot. He didn't like it when I said he choked like a dog. He choked like a dog."
  
  Trump is offering former military intelligence chief Michael Flynn the position of national security advisor. It's unclear whether Flynn, a retired army general, has accepted the job.
  
  Flynn was a fierce critic of President Barack Obama's military and foreign policy long before he began advising Trump on national security issues during the campaign.
  
  The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) said today the selection of Sessions and Pompeo reveal that President-elect Trump is dedicated to elevating "excellent leaders" to key positions within his Administration.
  
  “These choices are fantastic. Both are excellent leaders who will help set the tone for a Trump Administration that is serious about upholding the Constitution and the rule of law while elevating our intelligence capabilities at a time when our country is facing grave danger from terrorists,” said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ. “As Attorney General, Sen. Sessions will bring stability and credibility back to a troubled Justice Department under the Obama Administration. Sen. Sessions has the knowledge, leadership, and capability to restore the institutional credibility at the Justice Department."
  
  Despite media criticism that the Trump transition team is in "chaos" and "disarray," President Obama's former senior advisor, David Axelrod, defended the incoming president from unfair press coverage as he transitions into the White House.
  
  "Lots of reasons to be concerned about @realdonaldtrump transition, but the pace of the announcements isn't one of them," Axelrod tweeted. "That's not a fair shot."
  
  He continued, "We hadn't made any major appointments at this point in 2008. I don't remember being criticized for it."
  
  Meanwhile, Vice President-elect Mike Pence asked for prayer Thursday while talking to congressional Republicans.
  
  As he ended his comments, Pence said, "Pray for the president; pray for his family; pray for our conference and pray for the country," according to Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington.
  
  Newly elected Republican conference Vice Chairman Doug Collins of Georgia, a pastor, got up and led the prayer.