Heather Nauert still in running for UN job

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Politico is reporting that Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, is no longer under consideration to replace Nikki Haley as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. While I deeply respect the relevant Politico reporters (Gabby Orr is one of the finest reporters in the nation), I am hearing differently.

One senior administration official tells me that Nauert is both still in the running and retains support from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo’s influence in the administration remains significant and was a driving force behind the president’s decision to nominate Gina Haspel to lead the CIA. Moreover, President Trump has already shown public favor for Nauert, who is known as an administration loyalist. (I have previously written in favor of Nauert’s candidacy, but this has nothing to do with my preference.)

Nauert’s penchant for robust statements criticizing Russian aggression — the former Fox News anchor has gone head-to-head with RT journalists at the State Department on numerous occasions — and her relentless work ethic have earned her respect from State Department colleagues and close American allies.

Still, when it comes to the U.N. job, it is somewhat understandable that senior officials are telling different things to different people. Haley has made the position one of both marquee public impression for the Trump administration’s brand and one of significant policy importance. Haley’s confrontation of the Assad regime and of Russian support for President Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons atrocities are rightly held up as signature accomplishments of the Trump administration’s foreign policy. That said, it is notable that Politico also reports that Pompeo wants to demote the U.N. position to a non-cabinet level one. That is a reflection of the secretary’s desire to avoid future incidents of an ambassador getting out ahead of administration policy.

[Also read: Michigan businessman John James in the mix for UN ambassadorship]

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