Washington, Feb 23 (IANS): US President Donald Trump on Friday said he intends to nominate Kelly Knight Craft, the current US ambassador to Canada, to be the new US ambassador to the UN.
Trump tweeted that he plans to nominate Craft for the position, following former Ambassador Nikki Haley's resignation last year.
"I am pleased to announce that Kelly Knight Craft, our current Ambassador to Canada, is being nominated to be US Ambassador to the UN," Trump wrote on Twitter.
He followed up in a second tweet, saying, "Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our Nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our Country will be represented at the highest level. Congratulations to Kelly and her entire family!"
Trump's announcement comes a week after his first pick to replace Haley, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, withdrew her candidacy, CNN reported.
Haley on Friday tweeted congratulations to Craft, writing: "Congratulations to Kelly Craft. She's done a great job representing us as @USAmbCanada and we know she'll be a strong voice for America at the UN."
CNN reported earlier this week that Craft was being considered, along with US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, US Ambassador to France Jamie McCourt and former National Security Council official Dina Powell.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement on Friday applauding Trump's announcement, saying he is "very pleased" and that Craft "has been an outstanding advocate for America's national security and economic interests in Canada and she is extremely well-qualified to do the same at the UN."
"I look forward to her confirmation and continuing to work with her at the UN," Pompeo said in the statement.
The Kentucky native and her husband, billionaire coal mining executive Joe Craft, have been heavyweight Republican funders. In the 2016 presidential race, they initially backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be the Republican nominee for president before switching their allegiance to Trump.
The next year, Trump nominated Craft to be ambassador to Canada, a position she officially assumed in October 2017.