This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Washington • President-elect Donald Trump will meet this weekend with one of his toughest Republican critics, former presidential nominee Mitt Romney, and could offer him a spot in his Cabinet, according to multiple reports.

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions confirmed Thursday that Trump will meet with Romney, and NBC News, followed by several other news organizations, cited sources in reporting Trump may be considering Romney to be his secretary of state. The meeting would likely take place in Bedminster, N.J., where Trump plans to spend the weekend.

The two men have had an awkward and combative history, so while a meeting is one thing, it would be a major change in course if Romney were to join Trump's administration.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who now calls Utah home, has been highly critical of Trump, not only refusing to endorse or vote for him, but also delivering a widely watched speech in March intended to halt the candidate's momentum. He called Trump a "phony, a fraud."

"He's playing the members of the American public for suckers," Romney said during the University of Utah address. "He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat."

Then, in June, during a political summit in Park City, Romney told CNN that a Trump victory could legitimize bigotry toward women and minorities.

"I don't want to see trickle-down racism," Romney said. "I don't want to see a president of the United States saying things which change the character of the generations of Americans that are following. Presidents have an impact on the nature of our nation, and trickle-down racism, trickle-down bigotry, trickle-down misogyny, all these things are extraordinarily dangerous to the heart and character of America."

Trump, in turn, questioned if Romney was indeed a devout Mormon during a campaign stop in Salt Lake City and has repeatedly called the 2012 nominee a "loser."

Voters in Utah, headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, paid attention to Romney. While Trump won the reliably Republican state, he did so by the lowest percentage — below 46 percent at last count — of any state that went in the GOP candidate's column. (Romney won the Beehive State with a whopping 73 percent in 2012.)

During his 2012 bid, Romney awkwardly accepted Trump's endorsement, after the real-estate developer dropped talk of an independent run.

"There are some things you just can't imagine happening in your life," Romney said at the time. "This is one of them."

The day after Trump's stunning Nov. 8 victory, Romney tweeted congratulations: "Best wishes for our duly elected president: May his victory speech be his guide and preserving the Republic his aim."

Romney did not mention Trump's name in the congratulatory tweet, although it later was reported that he called Trump to extend well wishes.

A spokeswoman for Romney did not immediately return a request for comment.