Trump nominates Kelly Craft as U.S. ambassador to UN

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U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Kelly Craft, currently U.S. ambassador to Canada, as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, he announced in a series of tweets.

"Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our Nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our Country will be represented at the highest level," Trump wrote in one of his tweets.

Screenshot from Donald Trump's official Twitter account‍

This came after Heather Nauert withdrew from consideration as U.S. ambassador to the UN citing family issues.

Craft, a top Republican donor from Kentucky, rose this week as a serious contender for the post based on a recommendation by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a fellow Kentuckian.

Craft will not hold a Cabinet-level position, as Haley did, a senior White House official said, after Trump decided to downgrade the post. Regardless, she will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Nikki Haley, who abruptly announced her departure in October last year, has knocked down speculation that she might challenge Trump in 2020 presidential elections.

A former governor of South Carolina and the daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley, 46, is the highest profile woman in Trump's Cabinet and has often been seen as a possible presidential candidate.

But Haley said in her resignation letter to Trump that she would "surely not be a candidate for any office in 2020" and would instead support his re-election bid. She referred to returning to the private sector and some media reports said she had debts to pay off.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Craft "extremely well-qualified" and an "outstanding advocate for America's national security and economic interests in Canada."

Craft met with Trump, Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton in the Oval Office on Friday, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters.

She was seen as a tough negotiator in a new U.S. trade deal with Canada and Mexico and as ambassador to Canada established decent working relationships with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, the source said.

Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and President Donald Trump (not in frame) meet in the Oval Office of the White House to announce Haley's resignation, October 9, 2018. /VCG Photo

If confirmed, Craft will have the difficult job of defending Trump's "America First" foreign policy and navigating Trump's criticism of the world body while getting global diplomats to back U.S. policies.

French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre said he looked forward to working with Craft if she was confirmed by the Senate.

"I hope that Ms Craft will continue, like Nikki Haley, to be a bridge between Washington, DC and the UN at a time when we more than ever need an America that is engaged with the UN in world affairs and committed to our shared values, beginning with human rights," Delattre said.

Craft will face a variety of challenges, including championing U.S. efforts to contain Iran's influence in the Middle East and ensuring the global body maintains tough sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as Washington tries to negotiate an end to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

(With inputs from Reuters)