Trump may nominate Heather Nauert as UN Ambassador: Reports

Washington: US President Donald Trump plans to nominate Heather Nauert, the chief State Department spokeswoman, as his next envoy to the UN to replace Indian-American Nikki Haley, according to media reports.

In October, Haley announced that she was leaving the post by the end of the year. Haley has served nearly two years in the post.

Haley is the first Indian-American to ever appointed to a Cabinet position in any US presidential administration.

Nauert had been the favourite after Haley, 46, announced that she would leave the job.

Trump is expected to make the announcement on Friday, the reports said.

If confirmed, Nauert, a former Fox News anchor who has served as the public face of the State Department since last year, would be one of the most prominent promoters of Trump’s ‘America First’ foreign policy.

Nauert, 48, worked for Fox News from 1998 to 2005 and, after two years away during which she worked for ABC, she returned to Fox in 2007, later becoming a presenter for Fox & Friends.

Former deputy security council adviser Dina Powell and Trump’s daughter Ivanka’s names were initially floated as possible replacements.

Although some have speculated that Haley may challenge Trump in the 2020 presidential election, Haley has said that she will support the president.