Nikki Haley, Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, resigned last night, prompting speculation that she could be plotting a run on the White House to become America’s first female president in 2024.
Mrs Haley, 46, regarded as a star of the Trump administration for her unrelenting defence of the president’s America First policy on the world stage, unexpectedly announced her departure, catching cabinet colleagues and US allies off guard.
Mr Trump initially appeared to suggest he was considering his own daughter Ivanka as a replacement as the top US diplomat to the UN, saying she would be "dynamite" in the role.
The US president said Ms Trump, 36, who is currently a senior White House adviser, would be "incredible" and there was no-one "more competent in the world." but admitted he would face accusations of "nepotism".
Within a few hours Ms Trump wrote on Twitter that the replacement "will not be me".
It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 9, 2018
Mrs Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, immediately ruled out suggestions she could try to unseat Mr Trump as the Republican presidential nominee in 2020.
Appearing with Mr Trump in the Oval Office, she said: “For all of you that are going to ask about 2020 – no, I’m not running for 2020. I can promise you what I’ll be doing is campaigning for this one [Mr Trump].”
Reuters
She said it had been the “honour of a lifetime” serving as ambassador to the UN, adding: “It was a blessing to go into the UN every day with body armour.”
Mr Trump called Mrs Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, a “very special person”. He said she had made the UN role “more glamorous” and done an “incredible job”. He added: "Maybe you’ll be coming back at some point, in a different capacity."
Mrs Haley explained her resignation decision by saying she had “long believed that rotation in office benefits the public”. There was “no personal reason,” she added.
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There have been reports that her foreign policy role had become more limited since the appointment of Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, and John Bolton as national security adviser. Both men were reportedly surprised by her departure. Mr Pompeo offered a short public statement wishing her well in her new role.
Mrs Haley indicated she would work in the private sector where a lucrative job could be a big draw.
According to her 2018 financial disclosures she has a mortgage of over $1 million, and credit card debts of tens of thousands of dollars. She also has one child in college, and another going there in a few years.
David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said Mrs Haley was "preparing for the post-Trump era," and would "certainly be in the mix" for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
Brett Bruen, former White house global engagement director in the Obama administration, suggested her decision was a “political calculation” aimed at positioning herself for the White House in six years’ time.
He said: “She doesn’t want to be part of the administration after the midterms when Democrats could retake control of the House or the Senate.
“She is preparing her presidential campaign, she’s preparing to lay the ground, if not for 2020, then 2024.”
In her resignation letter Mr Haley said Mr Trump had agreed at the outset to let her “speak my mind on the issues of the day” and he had honoured that. Last month, in an op-ed for The Washington Post, she wrote: “I proudly serve in this administration. But I don’t agree with the president on everything.”
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