Trump narrows search for US's top diplomat

Donald Trump plunged his quest for America's next top diplomat back into the spotlight Friday by confirming that one frontrunner, outspoken former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, will not join his cabinet.

Giuliani had made no secret of his desire for the job, but came under media scrutiny over business dealings that could pose conflicts of interest.

He was one of Trump's most ardent supporters in the bitterly divisive election but others were alarmed about the prospect of 72-year-old known for abrasive rhetoric heading up the largest diplomatic mission in the world.

Trump is also expected to appoint another Goldman Sachs executive to his administration. Despite vilifying the Wall Street bank while campaigning, he is tipped to pick Goldman president Gary Cohn to lead the White House National Economic Council.

He would join former colleagues Steven Mnuchin - the incoming Treasury Secretary - and Steve Bannon - the new senior White House adviser. Another CEO, Andrew Liveris of Dow Chemical Co, has been picked by the Trump team to head up an "American manufacturing council" tasked with bringing industry back to the US.

Observers in the United States and around the world have been on tenterhooks over who the incoming Republican will pick as they wait to see whether Trump will make good on threats to rip up treaties and free trade agreements.

With the decision expected next week, the president-elect announced Friday that Giuliani had removed his name from contention as far back as November 29. The New York Times reported that Rex Tillerson, chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was now the leading candidate to become secretary of state. Tillerson met Trump in New York on Tuesday.

Mitt Romney, a fierce critic of Trump during the campaign, is thought to remain in the running. But the Times said Trump had "indicated to several people" that the former Massachusetts governor was now unlikely to be named.