In his first effort at reaching across the aisle to work with Democrats, even if they had been sharply critical of him on the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina to be his Ambassador to the United Nations.
“Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country,” he said. “She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage.”
It’s an interesting move by the political outsider, who is reportedly being closely advised by Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
In the wake of this announcement, are five things to know about Gov. Haley:
Her parents are Indian migrants
Richard Shiro/AP
At 44, Haley is the youngest governor currently in office. She was born in South Carolina, but like Bobby Jindal of Louisiana her parents are from Punjab.
Of her background, she told the New York Times, “I love that people think it’s a good story, but I don’t understand how it’s different … I feel like I’m just an accountant and businessperson who wants to be a part of state government.” That was in 2011, when she became the first female governor of her native state.
She is highly conservative
Not only was she endorsed as a commonsense conservative “Mama Grizzly” during her run for the South Carolina governorship, Haley had high marks before that as a state representative who promoted fiscal responsibility at every turn.
“Good old work replaces pork-barrel politics,” she said at the time, and she has refused stimulus money in the past due to the strings attached. Haley has also championed controversial voter I.D. laws, rejected the Obamacare state exchange, refused a higher gas tax, and supports a business-friendly tax environment.
She ordered the Confederate flag removed from the S.C. capitol
Gov. Nikki Haley joins lawmakers in ordering removal of Confederate flag. (AP Photo)
Following the tragic massacre by Dylan Roof of several black churchgoers in Charleston during 2015, Gov. Haley took a leadership role in the trend that swept through parts of the South calling for complete removal of Confederate memorials on state grounds.
Citing the symbolism as “hate,” she said “this flag, while an integral part of our past, does not represent the future of our great state.”
She is not Trump’s biggest fan
In spite of being accepting of Trump’s nomination to be the country’s top U.N. diplomat, Haley sounded off as a #NeverTrump Republican back in campaign season.
“During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices,” she said at the time. “We must resist that temptation. No one who is willing to work hard, abide by our laws, and love our traditions should ever feel unwelcome in this country.”
As the first female governor of S.C. she has no real foreign policy chops
Previously, Haley was like Trump in a way: Her upscale family business, Exotica International, became a multimillion-dollar company with her involvement.
Haley also moved into the South Carolina governor’s mansion riding the storm of Tea Party activism that swept the nation in 2010 as a political outsider. She now hopes to represent Trump on a global stage — despite just six years of government experience that didn’t put her in contact with foreign leaders on a regular basis.