Nauert withdraws bid for UN envoy

Washington, February 17

In a surprise move, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert withdrew her nomination to replace Indian-American Nikki Haley as the top US diplomat at the United Nations, amid criticism by Democrats for her lack of diplomatic experience.

Nauert, 48, a former Fox News anchor, issued a statement on Saturday citing family reasons for her decision.

Nauret said her two years with the administration had been “one of the highest honours of my life and I will always be grateful to the President, the Secretary, and my colleagues at the State Department for their support”.

State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said President Trump will make an announcement about a new nominee soon.

Pompeo said she had performed her duties as a senior member of his team “with unequalled excellence”.

“Her personal decision today to withdraw her name from consideration to become the nominee for US Ambassador to the UN is a decision for which I have great respect,” Pompeo said.

President Trump nominated Nauert for the top diplomatic position at the UN in November, weeks after Haley announced her resignation.

Senators from the Democratic party raised questions over her qualification as the top US diplomat to the UN.

“She has no foreign policy experience that I can deduce, and being a spokesperson is different than being the chief diplomat of the United States at a world body like the UN," Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had said. — PTI