UPDATE: Nikki Haley Resigns as UN Ambassador, Will NOT Run in 2020

UPDATE (original story below):

President Donald Trump and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley have confirmed via a press conference that Haley will be leaving the post at the end of 2018.

Advertisement

There are no indications that Haley has any immediate political plans. She has said that she will not be running against Trump in 2020. In fact, she will be supporting him.

The departure comes as a complete shock to Washington D.C., despite the fact that she told the President months ago she wanted to leave the post by the end of the year. Haley only told her staff of the plan this morning. The shock is two-fold, as no one saw it coming and no one expected such a secret could stay a secret.

Trump’s and Haley’s demeanors at the Tuesday morning press conference was friendly, and there are no signs of animosity between the two. Trump praised Haley, and Haley, in turn, said she would even campaign for him.

Haley, speaking after Trump, called the job “the honor of a lifetime,” and noted that the world now looked at the U.S. with greater respect.

As far as Haley’s replacement, Trump said that there were several potential replacements. However, he also told Haley she was welcome back into the administration whenever she wanted back in.

ORIGINAL:

Nikki Haley, one of the longest-serving members of the Trump Administration, has reportedly submitted her resignation as U.N. Ambassador. Donald Trump has accepted, according to the report.

Axios broke the story Tuesday morning, noting that the timeline of her departure, and the circumstances behind it, are currently unclear.

What we’re hearing: Haley discussed her resignation with Trump last week when she visited him at the White House, these sources said. Her news shocked a number of senior foreign policy officials in the Trump administration.

Background: Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, was easily confirmed four days after President Trump’s inauguration in 2017.

She has overseen Trump’s shift in dealing with the UN, including the U.S. exit from the UN Human Rights Council, which Haley called the organization’s “greatest failure.”

Advertisement

The departure is arguably the biggest loss of the Trump Administration, as Republicans who liked and disliked Trump still admired her as a rising star of the party and a frequently-discussed presidential contender.

There is a scheduled press event at 10:30 ET with Trump and Haley, according to Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

Haley’s harsh tone with the U.N.’s increasing hostility toward Israel, a U.S. ally, and her increased frustration with the Human Rights Council were praised by conservatives, as was the move to leave the HRC, which was seen as one of her best moments at the U.N.

There is currently no talk of a potential replacement for Haley, and no word of when her resignation is effective.

Recommended

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on RedState Videos