Nikki Haley was on Wednesday picked up by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as US ambassador to the United Nations, becoming first Indian-American to be appointed to a cabinet-level post in the US administration.
44-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley is first woman tapped by Trump for a top-level administration post during his transition to the White House.
Citing a source familiar with the decision, CNN reported that President-elect Trump has picked South Carolina’s Governor Haley to be the US ambassador to the United Nations. The move, which will be announced later today, comes as Trump advisers are seeking to diversify his ranks and marks his first female appointment to a cabinet-level post, The Washington Post reported.
Trump’s plan to offer the job to Haley, a rising Republican star, was first reported by the Post and Courier. Haley has already carved out a legacy for herself, serving as her home state’s first female and first minority Governor.
Haley, who is serving her second term, has worked on trade and labour issues as governor but brings little foreign policy experience. Her views on various US military and national security matters usually fall within the Republican Party’s hawkish mainstream.
Trump met with Haley on Thursday at Trump Tower in New York as part of the round of meetings the president-elect has held.