Republican President-elect Donald Trump appointed South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a South Asian American, to his cabinet as the ambassador to the United Nations.
Haley – who initially was a staunch supporter of Marco Rubio during the Republican presidential primaries — changed her stance on Trump right before the election. “Our country faces enormous challenges here at home and internationally, and I am honored that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love,” Haley said in a statement. “When the president believes you have a major contribution to make to the welfare of our nation, and to our nation’s standing in the world, that is a calling that is important to heed.”
Haley, 44, is the daughter of immigrants from India, and the first female and only minority in South Carolina’s history to become governor.
Trump praised Haley through a statement and said she is a great choice to represent the country on an international level. “Gov. 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. “She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage.”
However, Trump was not always kind to Haley. In January, he called her stance on immigration – a central part of his campaign – “very weak,” according to Newsweek.
If the Senate confirms Haley’s nomination, she will succeed Samantha Power, who became the U.S. ambassador to the UN in 2013.
