Secretary of State John Kerry John Forbes KerryThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Divided country, divided church TV ads favored Biden 2-1 in past month MORE says in a new interview that President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE was thoughtful with some of his Cabinet picks, offering praise for both Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, chosen to head the State Department, and James Mattis, a retired general tapped for the Department of Defense.

Kerry called Trump thoughtful for picking Tillerson and Mattis in an interview with The Boston Globe, though the future Cabinet members have faced criticism after being picked by the president-elect.

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Kerry dodged making any predictions about what either pick would do once confirmed.

"Let’s wait and see. I’m not going to get ahead of the decisions that they make," Kerry told The Boston Globe. "Because governing is very, very different when you’re confronted with the realities. And I think one of the things people make a huge mistake in doing is ginning themselves up over guessing. I’m not going to guess."

Kerry was targeted by Trump for some of his policies while in office, including his work on the Iran deal, the Paris climate deal and revitalizing relations with Cuba.

Kerry is at the end of four years as secretary of State and 34 years in public office. He plans to return to Boston and work in the private sector after inauguration.