- Title: Trump chooses Governor Nikki Haley for U.N. ambassador - news reports
- Date: 23rd November 2016
- Summary: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES (FILE) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY GIVING REPUBLICAN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FINAL STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
- Embargoed: 8th December 2016 13:17
- Keywords: Nikki Haley South Carolina governor ambassador United Nations Indian-American Sikh
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C./ COLUMBIA AND CHAPIN, SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C./ COLUMBIA AND CHAPIN, SOUTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00159O15XJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who was critical of him during his election campaign and who has little foreign policy experience, to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, according to media reports on Wednesday.
The choice of Haley was first reported by the Post and Courier of Charleston. NBC and CBS confirmed she had accepted the offer.
The 44-year-old Republican sharply criticized Trump during the presidential campaign over his harsh rhetoric about illegal immigrants and for not speaking forcefully enough against white supremacists.
The choice of Haley, a daughter of Indian immigrants who is an active voice for tolerance, may be aimed at offsetting Trump's divisive comments about immigrants and minorities, as well as accusations of sexism during his campaign for the Nov. 8 election in which he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Haley led an effort last year to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the South Carolina state capitol after the killing of nine black churchgoers in Charleston. The flag was carried by pro-slavery Confederate forces during the U.S. Civil War and is viewed by many as a racist emblem.
In the early days of the primary contest to pick this year's Republican presidential nominee primary, Haley was mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick.
Haley supported Trump rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, both U.S. senators, in the primary before saying last month she would vote for Trump despite reservations about his character. Trump is due to succeed Obama, a Democrat, on Jan. 20. - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
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