Nikki Haley, the United States ambassador to the United Nations, resigned abruptly. President Trump described her work during the two-year tenure as “wonderful.” One of the few remaining officials of the Trump administration, Haley said she will not leave her office in preparation for the next presidential election, but mentioned she might be open to another position in the administration. “I think Nikki will come back in some form too,” Trump told reporters.
Whether it was President Trump announcing six months ago that she had spoken to him about a need for a “break”, or Haley herself saying it was “good to rotate in other people who can put that same energy and power into it,” the reason for Haley’s resignation was not really convincing. Presumed discord between her and the rest of the US presidential team does not seem to be a main reason either. A Trump vocal opponent-turned-supporter, the former South Carolina governor has been among the few people who share a common political ground with him; there has been no disagreement between the two since she assumed office. She also seems to have his strong support. Haley defends Trump’s views on the United Nations’ role and budget, support for Israel—an extremely important issue for President Trump. She fiercely defended his decision to exit the Paris accord on climate change and the Human Rights Council in response to criticism by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad bin al-Hussein.
Haley may have quietly criticized President Trump’s comments on foreign policy, saying his remarks might spark a world war, and that she also sympathized with women who accused the US president of sexual harassment, calling for listening to them without lending credence to the accusations they made.
Haley is among the political figures the Republicans are staking on in the fierce race with the Democrats over the next few years, although she has completely denied running for presidentials and announced her support for President Trump for a second term yet she did not reject the idea. It’s conceivable that she might be preparing for the 2020 election to hold important positions in the State Department. The 46-years-old still has a lot to give to US politics.
In recent years, there has been a kind of scarcity in competent politicians and charismatic leaders both from the GOP and the Dems. Here lies an opportunity for the likes of Haley to step in. Haley received positive feedback from the majority of the Republicans after she announced her resignation. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said she “challenged friend and foe to be better,” while the prominent Sen. Lindsay Graham that she “has been a true agent of reform” in the UN.
Of course, Israel has benefited the most from Haley’s two years in office. She gave American support for Israel in the international organization a new push, at least at the level of political discourse with sharp attitudes towards the Palestinians and calls to stop US funding for the UNRWA. She was influential in the transfer of the US Embassy to Jerusalem last May and some even call her Israel’s advocate. Israeli author Gideon Levy Article called her the Ambassador of Israel to the United Nations and more Israeli than the Israeli right wing. In a conference before the American-Israel Public Relations Committee (AIPAC), Haley said that the days of charges and condemnations of Israel were over, and anyone who says you can achieve something in the United Nations knows that there’s a new sheriff in town. More importantly, she said “I wear high heels and it’s not for a fashion statement. It’s because if I see something wrong, I will kick it every single time.”
Haley achieved much in her political career at the United Nations but we’re almost sure we will see her again in the White House when Trump’s term is over.
