Roger Stone, a veteran political strategist and longtime friend of President-elect Trump, says the billionaire businessman only pretended to seriously consider former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for secretary of state so he could "toy with him" for opposing Trump during the general election.

"Donald Trump was interviewing Mitt Romney for secretary of state in order to torture him," Stone told InfoWars on Sunday. "To toy with him. And given the history, that's completely understandable. Mitt Romney crossed a line. He didn't just oppose Trump, which is his democratic right, he called him a phony and a fraud. And a con man. And that's not the kind of man you want as secretary of state."

Some of Trump's top advisers — like adviser Kellyanne Conway and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich — have publicly criticized Romney for refusing to support the GOP nominee before the election and his about-face after Trump won the White House. Conway said a "number of people" would feel "betrayed" if Trump selected Romney for a coveted Cabinet position because he attacked Trump throughout the election.

"Well you know, Trump correctly said he was a choker," Stone said, "and at the key moment in the campaign against Barack Obama he choked. Donald Trump is not a choker, in fact, he's a scratch golfer. So in this particular case, Trump did what Romney couldn't."

Stone would not say if he will take a formal role with Trump. On Sunday, Trump's transition team said the president-elect is leaning toward nominating ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson to lead the State Department.