WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he is certain that his daughter Ivanka would be “dynamite” as the US ambassador to the UN, but conceded that he would be “accused of nepotism” if he selected her to replace Indian-American Nikki Haley.
Haley, 46, announced Tuesday she would resign from her post as the US ambassador to the UN effective at the end of 2018.
As President Trump heaped praise on Haley’s performance during her tenure as the the envoy to the world body, he said many people would like to replace her.
Trump said that he expects to name a replacement for Haley in the next “two to three weeks,” and said that he would be talking about candidates with the former South Carolina governor and others.
Trump told reporters at the White House that his daughter Ivanka would make an “incredible” ambassador to the UN.
“The people that know — it’s nothing to do with nepotism. But I want tell you: The people that know, know that Ivanka would be dynamite. But, you know, I’d then be accused of nepotism, if you can believe it,” he said.
“I think Ivanka would be incredible. That doesn’t mean I’d pick her, because you’d be accused of nepotism, even though I’m not sure there’s anybody more competent in the world. But that’s okay,” Trump said in response to a question.
Soon after the President’s remarks, Ivanka Trump took to Twitter to rule herself out of the running for ambassadorship.
“It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me.”
Speculation that Ivanka would take on the post mounted after Haley praised her and her husband, Jared Kushner, in discussing her resignation in the Oval Office. PTI
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