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John Wagner
National journalist heads up the political press team at The Post newspaper
Carol Morello
National Rapporteur on Foreign Policy and Department of State
US Ambassador Nikki Haley is retiring at the end of the year, President Trump announced on Tuesday as Haley sat beside him in the Oval Office.
Trump praised the work of the former governor of South Carolina, who was confirmed US ambassador to the United Nations shortly after the inauguration of Trump last year.
"She did a fantastic job, and we did a fantastic job together," said Trump, adding that Haley was "very special to me".
Trump said Haley had told her for the first time, about six months ago, that she would like to "take some free time" by the end of this year. Nevertheless, the announcement surprised many members of the Trump administration.
In her letter of resignation, Haley congratulated the President for making a commitment that she be "free to share her thoughts on the issues of the day".
Haley listed what she called a series of successes at the United Nations, including: "We have strongly spoken out against dictatorships in Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and, yes, Russia."
Haley spoke at a press conference at the US headquarters in Manhattan last month. (Jeenah Moon / Reuters)
Haley told the President that her resignation would come into effect in January 2017 to "give you time to choose a replacement and give the Senate time to review your selection."
"I intend to continue to express myself from time to time on important public policy issues, but I will certainly not be a candidate for a position in 2020."
Trump told the press that he hoped that Haley would return to the administration at some point, perhaps in another capacity.
Speaking after him, Haley said that being a US ambassador was "an honor of a lifetime".
"I'm so lucky to have been able to lead the state that raised me and serve a country that I love so much, it's really a blessing, and I want to thank you for that," she said. Trump.
Trump said he hoped to name a successor to Haley in the next two to three weeks.
"We have a number of people who would like to do it," said Trump, adding that the position had become "more prestigious" since the beginning of Haley's term.
[[[[Previous Coverage: For Nikki Haley, a lower profile like Trump returns to the United States.]
Tuesday's announcement has received much praise for Haley's mandate from his Republican colleagues, but some lawmakers have expressed concerns about timing.
Senator Bob Menendez (N.J.), the most Democratic member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the White House to immediately appoint a successor.
"The announcement made today by Ambassador Haley of his resignation is another sign of the chaotic foreign policy of the Trump administration," he said in a statement. "I am deeply concerned about the lack of leadership that she is leaving and the impact of her departure on national security in this period of continuing turmoil for this administration."
From the beginning of her term, Haley distinguished herself as a fervent supporter of Trump administration policies, announcing that the United States would "take the name" of countries that would not support the US vote.
She has often spoken of the need for change within the UN and its peacekeepers and has often criticized UN agencies for taking anti-Israeli positions. She lobbied for the Security Council to pass resolutions imposing tougher sanctions on North Korea and reprimanding members suspected of deceiving the administration.
"She has been instrumental in launching reforms in the United States in partnership with the Secretary-General and has taken a thoughtful approach to peacekeeping and national security issues," said Peter Yeo, Foundation Manager. the United States. "There were certainly big feuds between the United States and the United States, but it played a very important and constructive role."
Although Haley advanced Trump's policies, she sometimes made public statements that contradicted the White House and the president she had sat.
In December, she said that women who accused Trump of sexual misconduct "should be heard". When a White House advisor said that Haley had been baffled by prematurely announcing more sanctions against Russia, she simply said, "With all due respect, do not fool yourself. "
Haley's ability to speak eloquently and forcefully on contentious issues fueled speculation that she had political ambitions beyond the UN, possibly including a race at the White House. But Haley constantly denied the fact, saying she had not thought of a race for the presidency.
From her first day as an ambassador, Haley promised a "new day" as part of the Trump's America First policy. Initially considered inexperienced in foreign policy, she was quickly taken seriously by her fellow American diplomats as she adopted three sets of sanctions against North Korea and persuaded China and Russia, allied with Pyongyang, accept to respect them.
She has made herself known for being a hawk on Iran and her regional aggression, a staunch defender of Israel and, together with Secretary General, António Guterres, a cost-cutting force.
On political issues, Haley's influence on the United Kingdom was thwarted by a series of recent political decisions by Trump that many other countries were opposed to, including the recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital, the reduction of aid to the Palestinians and the announcement of the withdrawal of the United States Human Rights Council.
Haley had a smaller role in the Trump cabinet, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo filled the void left by his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, whose shy behavior towards the camera had allowed Haley to be the spokesperson for US foreign policy during the first year of Trump. administration.
The hiring in March of National Security Advisor John Bolton, a former US ambassador with stronger views on its limited value, further limited his latitude in New York. At the same time, Haley has lost some of his key political debates, including a further reduction in the number of refugees who can be resettled in the United States.
On Monday, a monitoring group, Citizens for Accountability and Ethics in Washington, asked the State Department Inspector General to investigate the ethics of Haley accepting seven robberies for her and her husband. private planes owned by three South Carolina businessmen.
The group said flights took place between New York, Washington and three cities in South Carolina. Haley reported the robberies in his 2017 public financial statement, saying the donors were all personal friends and were therefore exempt from the federal rules governing the acceptance of such flights.
A poll conducted by Quinnipiac in April found that Haley had the highest approval ratings of five Trump Cabinet members, and was the only cabinet member to gain the majority approval of Democrats, Republicans and independents.
A total of 63% approved and 17% disapproved of her performance as a US ambassador.
Philip Rucker, John Hudson, Josh Dawsey and Scott Clement contributed to this report.
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