President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She will become the first woman and non-white Cabinet-level official in his administration if she is confirmed by the Senate.
Trump said in a statement on Wednesday that Haley “has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation” and “is also a proven dealmaker.”
Here are five things to know about Haley:
1. Her parents are Indian immigrants
She’s the second Asian-American to serve as a U.S. governor, after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Trump’s cabinet selections so far have included several white men who have been accused of racism, and Haley’s appointment may be an attempt to counter criticism about his team’s lack of diversity so far.
2. She criticized Trump during the GOP primaries
Haley campaigned for Marco Rubio and then supported Ted Cruz. When she gave the Republican response to President Obama’s final State of the Union address, she seemed to criticize Trump when she said: “During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices.” Trump responded by calling her “weak” on immigration.
In October, she said she would vote for Trump even though the 2016 election had “turned my stomach upside-down.”
“This is no longer a choice for me on personalities because I’m not a fan of either one,” she said of Trump and Hillary Clinton.
However, she met with Trump last week and told reporters they had a “very nice” conversation.
3. Trump once tweeted this!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/704751393991737345
4. She ran South Carolina during tough times
Haley led the charge to remove the Confederate flag from state government buildings in 2015 after a white man killed African-Americans at Charleston’s Emanuel A.M.E. Church.
“On matters of race, South Carolina has had a tough history, we all know that,” she said at the time. “Many of us have seen it in our lives, in the lives of our parents and grandparents. We don’t need reminders.”
5. The move helps out a Trump supporter
Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster will likely take over as South Carolina governor. He was an early Trump supporter and backed the president-elect before the state’s primary in February.