Trump considers State Dept spokeswoman Nauert for UN ambassador

State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert is under consideration to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations, according to a senior Republican official with knowledge of the matter.

Posted 11:07 p.m. Oct 29, 2018 — Updated 11:07 p.m. Oct 29, 2018

Jamie Gangel

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Kate Sullivan, CNN

(CNN) — State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert is under consideration to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations, according to a senior Republican official with knowledge of the matter.

Nauert met with President Donald Trump on Monday, a source familiar with meeting told CNN. The former Fox News anchor joined the State Department in April 2017 as a spokesperson and is now acting undersecretary of public diplomacy and public affairs.

She has also previously worked as a health insurance consultant, according to the State Department.

Administration officials have been scrambling to fill the position after Nikki Haley announced in early October she would resign as ambassador to the UN by the end of the year. Haley's decision caught senior administration officials off guard and raised questions about the timing of her departure. She insisted she would not be running for president in 2020.

When Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, resigned, the President praised her as a "fantastic person" who has "done an incredible job" and said he would gladly welcome her back into his administration down the line.

Nauert is one of a few women the White House is considering to fill Haley's shoes.

Other possibilities

The White House has reached out to Nancy Brinker asking if she would be open to consideration. Brinker, the founder of the Susan G. Komen foundation, has already gone through Senate confirmation as an ambassador, a GOP source close to the White House told CNN. The White House believes she could be fast-tracked to confirmation, making her a strong candidate.

Kelly Craft, the current US ambassador to Canada, was considered for the UN ambassador post during the transition but lost out to Haley. Craft is also under consideration.

Kelly Ayotte, a former New Hampshire senator, has ties to the White House after serving as the "sherpa" for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch during his Senate confirmation hearings. Ayotte remains close to top Trump ally South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Allies of hers say she would consider the job.

Another name being floated is Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is currently the United States permanent representative to NATO, according to a US official. The official said Hutchinson has done well at NATO and and thinks Hutchinson would be easily confirmed.

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