{getMailchimp} $title={MailChimp Form} $text={Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates.}

S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley tapped to be Trump’s U.N. ambassador

President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he will nominate South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, selecting a rising Republican star and daughter of Indian immigrants for the prestigious post.

Haley’s nomination marks Trump’s first female appointment to a cabinet-level post and comes as his advisers are seeking to diversify the incoming administration’s ranks. Haley, a former Trump rival, is generally considered a mainstream Republican, with views on military and national security matters that fall within the GOP’s hawkish mainstream. She has little foreign policy experience.

“Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country,” Trump said in a statement. “She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage.”

Haley, who has accepted the offer, said she is “honored that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love.’’

Her words represented a sharp departure from the campaign, during which she initially backed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for the GOP nomination and lambasted Trump as “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president.” Trump is considering another prominent former rival and mainstream Republican, 2008 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, for secretary of state.

Haley’s selection, also seen as an effort to reach out to establishment Republicans unsettled by Trump’s surprise victory, came amid indications that he was slowing down transition planning to spend Thanksgiving with his family. The president-elect flew Tuesday night to Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, where he will spend the holiday.

Trump aides declined to reveal his activities or whereabouts Wednesday morning but aides were plannning a conference call to provide updates. He also appears to be closing in on another Cabinet selection, tweeting Tuesday that he is “seriously considering” another former rival, Ben Carson, as secretary of housing and urban development.

Carson, who ran against Trump for the Republican nomination before backing him, told Fox News: “It certainly is something that has been a long-term interest of mine and I’ll be thinking and praying about it seriously over the holiday.”

Haley, 44, who is serving her second term, has worked on trade and labor issues as governor but is considered a foreign policy novice. She met with Trump last Thursday at Trump Tower in New York as part of the round of sessions the president-elect has held with possible nominees.

If confirmed, Haley would be replaced by South Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster, a top Trump ally. His ascension is seen inside of Trump’s inner circle as a welcome consequence of her departure, the person said — a way to promote them both.

Haley has taken at least eight trips abroad since taking office in 2011, including visits to Germany, according to the Post and Courier, which first reported that Trump would nominate Haley.

During the campaign, Haley was critical of some of Trump’s proposals, such as his temporary ban on Muslims’ entry to the U.S.

When she gave the GOP response to President Obama’s State of the Union address last year, Haley criticized the “angriest voices” within national politics and their “siren call” to voters, a line widely seen as a not-so-subtle shot at Trump’s campaign.

But when she visited Trump last week, Haley told reporters that she never disliked Trump in spite of her past comments.

“He was a friend and supporter before he ran for president, and was kind to me then. But when I see something I am uncomfortable with, I say it,” she said. “When we met, it was friends who had known each other before.”

No comments

Your comments and Encouragement are welcome