From daughter of Sikh immigrants to Trump's pick for United Nations

Despite the unknowns, many diplomats who have been anxiously awaiting Trump's choices were relieved at the announcement

Governor Nikki R Haley of South Carolina is the daughter of immigrants, favours free markets and global trade, and earned international attention for speaking out against the Confederate battle flag in the aftermath of the 2015 massacre at a black church in Charleston. During Donald J Trump’s presidential campaign, she sharply criticised his demeanour and warned what it might mean for American diplomacy — even suggesting that his tendency to lash out at critics could cause a world war.

But on Wednesday, Trump named Haley as his choice for ambassador to the United Nations, a move that will probably serve to both assuage and confound the president-elect’s critics, raising questions about the tone and direction of his foreign policy. As an Indian-American woman (her sikh parents hail from Punjab), she would also add ethnic and gender diversity to the appointments, so far predominantly of white men, he has made to other top posts in the administration. In a statement, Haley said she had accepted Trump’s offer because she felt good about South Carolina’s economic standing. She added that this month’s elections had brought “exciting changes to America.” “When the president believes you have a major contribution to make to the welfare of our nation, and to our nation’s standing in the world, that is a calling that is important to heed,” the statement said.

 

Little is known about how Haley views America’s role in the world. But an equally important mystery is what her clout might be in the Trump administration.Has Trump placed her in a post he considers marginal? Or will Haley — along with a still-to-be-named secretary of state — be able to temper the more radical views of Trump’s other aides?

Despite the unknowns, many diplomats, scholars and rights advocates who have been anxiously awaiting Trump’s choices were relieved at the announcement. They saw in Haley, a daughter of Indian immigrants, someone unafraid to express her beliefs even if they differ from Trump’s.

“If confirmed, we hope she will raise that voice on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable people who suffer from hunger, violence and injustice around the world,” the advocacy group Oxfam said in a statement.

© 2016 The New York Times News Service