President Trump is planning to nominate Newt Gingrich's wife, Callista Gingrich, as the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Her husband, the former House speaker, warned that they were told "to be very cautious" until the nomination is announced, the Times report said, but declined to confirm or deny the pending development.

The report said the idea of nominating Gingrich was first floated in January and one source told the Times that the president "half-jokingly said he was intrigued by the idea" of picking her because it could mean that he could get her husband "out of his hair."

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One source told the Times that Gingrich threatened to withdraw her name from consideration because the vetting process has been slow, the report said. Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pennsylvania, was also considered for the role, the newspaper reported.

The White House didn't respond to a request for comment, the report said,

Gingrich serves as president of Gingrich Productions, a multimedia production company in Arlington, Virginia, according to its website. She previously worked as a congressional aide in the House.