Heather Nauert Withdraws Bid for U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. 'In Best Interest' of Her Family

Monica Sanchez | February 17, 2019
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U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert has withdrawn her name from consideration to succeed Nikki Haley as the next U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.

The State Department announced the decision in a press release over the weekend, stating that Nauert had made the choice to withdraw consideration for the position “in the best interest” of her family.

“I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Pompeo for the trust they placed in me for considering me for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. However, the past two months have been grueling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from consideration,” she says in the statement. “Serving in the Administration for the past two years has been one of the highest honors of my life and I will always be grateful to the President, the Secretary, and my colleagues at the State Department for their support.”

News outlets are speculating that her withdrawal had to do with recent reports that Nauert had employed an immigrant as a nanny who was in the U.S. legally but not legally allowed to work. She also faced speculation over her qualifications for the position. 

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that he has “great respect” for her “personal decision to withdraw her name from consideration” and he wishes Nauert “nothing but the best in all of her future endeavors and know that she will continue to be a great representative of this nation in whatever role she finds herself.”

President Trump announced Nauert as his pick to succeed then-outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley early December of last year, though her nomination had not been sent to the Senate yet.

Nauert became State Department spokesperson in April 2017 after a career at Fox News and was named acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs in 2018.

President Trump is expected to announce a new nominee soon. 

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