U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced her resignation on Tuesday. In the Oval Office, with Haley by his side, President Trump told reporters that Haley had notified him six months ago that she was likely to depart at the end of the year. Without prompting from reporters, Haley said she had no plans to run for president in 2020 and would campaign for President Trump.
Haley has been one of the handful of administrative officials who has managed to publicly contradict the president and survive in the administration, taking a hawkish stance on Russia from the outset of her tenure and calling Russian election hacking an “act of war.” In her resignation letter to President Trump, Haley hinted that she is headed for the private sector.
With Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, firmly ensconced at the State Department and National Security Advisor John Bolton taking the reins at the White House, there was a sense among Haley’s allies that there was no place for her to rise in the administration. Haley served six years as governor of South Carolina, before assuming the U.S. Ambassadorship.
Reporters asked President Trump why the announcement was made now since Haley is staying until the end of the year. Trump did not answer the question, but White House Officials had sought to put a hold on turnover in the Trump administration in the run-up to the November 6 elections with aides being asked months ago to step down or commit to staying through Election Day.
