Trump nominates Heather Nauert as US envoy to UN

President Donald Trump announced Friday the nomination of State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert to succeed Nikki Haley as US ambassador to the United Nations .

“She’s very talented, very smart, very quick, and I think she’s going to be respected by all,” Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for Kansas City.

The president praised Nauert for the “great job” she has done as State Department spokeswoman.

Friday’s announcement followed weeks of rumors that Nauert, a former Fox News anchor, would be Trump’s choice, though the administration was said to be considering other candidates, including the current US envoys to France, Jamie McCourt; Canada, Kelly Knight Craft; and Germany, Richard Grenell.

Haley said in October that she would be stepping down at the end of the year.

She will spend her final weeks in the post helping to prepare Nauert to take over, Trump said.

Nauert, 48, joined the State Department in April 2017 and served from April to October of this year as the acting under secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

The nomination is subject to confirmation by the Senate, where Trump’s Republican Party has a majority.