Top Trump aide bashes Romney over criticism, despite possible Cabinet consideration

NEW YORK -- Top aide Kellyanne Conway says she'll support whomever Donald Trumpnominates for secretary of State, but it sure sounds like she's lobbying against Mitt Romney.

"People feel betrayed to think that Governor Romney -- who went out of his way to question the character and the intellect and the integrity of Donald Trump, now our president-elect --  would be given the most significant cabinet post of all, Secretary of State," Conway said Sunday on NBC's Meet The Press.

In a string of television interviews, Conway referred to Romney's attacks on Trump as a "fraud" and a "phony," and stressed the opposition to Romney's potential nomination by numerous Trump backers. She told NBC, "I'm reflecting what the grassroots are saying."

Conway also said the decision belongs to one person -- Trump -- and will back his nominee.

"We're all for party unity," Conway said on ABC's This Week, but she added that "I don't think a cost of admission for party unity has to be the secretary of state position."

Trump has interviewed Romney for the job. A prominent Trump campaign supporter, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, is also seeking the State Department post.

There are others in the mix, officials said, including John Kelly, a retired general, and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

There is also talk of retired general and former CIA Director David Petraeus, though he pleaded guilty in a case involving the sharing of classified information with his mistress/biographer.