Trump promotes Nikki Haley to the world stage

WASHINGTON—South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley buried the hatchet with President-elect Donald Trump today, accepting his nomination to represent the United States at the United Nations.

“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,” the Republican governor said in a statement this morning indicating she will accept the ambassador position pending a Senate confirmation.

Haley’s job offer ends a 10-month feud with Trump and adds youth and diversity to the new administration’s leadership team.

After President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address in January, Republican leaders chose Haley to give the official GOP rebuttal. They hoped to draw her onto the national stage as her name circulated as an appealing pick for vice president.

The 44-year-old, twice-elected governor received nationwide attention following the Charleston, S.C., church shooting in 2015, when a self-proclaimed white supremacist killed nine persons during a Bible study group meeting at a predominantly black church. Haley became a visible presence in the weeks following the tragedy, working to ease racial tension in her state—particularly during the contentious battle to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the state Capitol.

But during her post–State of the Union broadcast, long before Trump became her party’s nominee, Haley took several jabs at the bombastic businessman for his proposed ban on Muslims entering the country. She urged Americans to avoid the temptation to join in with the “angriest voices.”

“Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference,” Haley said, referring to Trump. “That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume.”

A month later, Haley endorsed Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for president—and Trump lashed out. He told his supporters at a rally that Haley was “very weak” on immigration and later took to Twitterand called her an embarrassment to South Carolina.

When Rubio dropped out of the race, Haley endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. It wasn’t until October that Haley finally said she would vote for Trump but made it clear she was “not a fan.”

The statement from Trump’s transition team this morning made no mention of previous quarrels with Haley.

“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. “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.”

Despite Trump’s vote of confidence, Haley has little international experience. She grew up in sparsely populated Bamberg, S.C., the daughter of Indian immigrants. She served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and worked in her family’s business before running for statewide office. In 2010, Haley simultaneously became South Carolina’s first woman and minority governor. Six years later she remains the nation’s youngest sitting governor.

Some fear her résumé is too thin on international experience for such an important diplomatic role. According to ABC News, Haley has made only eight trips outside the country in her life, mainly for trade shows while she worked in business.

“I hope the governor is a quick study, because as one of the nation’s top diplomats she will have the critical task of dealing in real time with virtually every international crisis that arises,” South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison said. “For all of our sakes, I wish her great success!”

If Haley passes confirmation in the Senate, she will replace Samantha Power, who has represented the United States at the United Nations since 2013.

The UN ambassador’s office has a staff of about 150 who serve to represent the United States’ political, economic, social, legal, military, public diplomacy, and management interests at the UN.

If confirmed, Haley would step down as governor and the state’s Republican lieutenant governor, Henry McMaster, would serve the remainder of her term.