The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday easily approved Nikki Haley’s nomination as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, with Democrats putting up little of the resistance they have to some of President Donald Trump’s other Cabinet picks.
Haley, the Republican governor of South Carolina, was approved on a voice vote. Two Democratic senators, Chris Coons of Delaware and Tom Udall of New Mexico, objected to her nomination.
During her confirmation hearing last week, Haley impressed lawmakers from both parties by taking a tough stance toward Russia, praising international alliances such as NATO, and calling out human rights violations in countries such as the Philippines. Some of these stances, however, put her at odds with the new Republican president, and it remains unclear how she will square her positions with what Trump will demand she do while at the United Nations.
Haley has little foreign policy experience, but she argued during her confirmation hearings that her executive experience as a governor gave her deal-making and coalition-building skills that will come in handy in dealing with the more than 190 member states at the United Nations. She also stressed that she will ensure that U.N. priorities are aligned with U.S. priorities, including by defending Israel when it is singled out for condemnation.
In making her pitch to senators, Haley avoided the stumbles that had plagued Rex Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO whom Trump has nominated as secretary of state.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: Politico, Nahal Toosi
BCNN1 WP 