Trump Announces Kelly Knight Craft as UN Ambassador Nominee

February 22, 2019March 16, 2020

President Trump on Twitter announces that he has selected Kelly Knight Craft, the current ambassador to Canada, as his nominee to become the next United States ambassador to the United Nations.

“I am pleased to announce that Kelly Knight Craft, our current Ambassador to Canada, is being nominated to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations,” Trump tweeted the news Friday evening.

….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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2019

“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,” Trump tweeted the news Friday evening. “Congratulations to Kelly and her entire family!”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recommended Craft to serve as the top diplomat to the UN. According to Axios, who first reported this story Thursday, McConnell has spoken to Trump in recommending Craft as the next UN Ambassador, citing her confirmation would run smoothly over the other candidates Trump was considering for the post.

Shortly after Trump Tweet announcement, the Majority Leader released a statement, praising the president decision in nominating Craft, calling her “an exceptional choice” for the job.

“Kelly Craft is a strong advocate for American interests and will be a powerful representative of our great nation at the U.N.,” the statement read. “She has a long record of service to her state and the nation and I’m confident she will continue to serve with distinction as America’s voice to the world at the United Nations. I was proud to recommend this remarkable Kentuckian to President Trump.”

Craft is a major GOP donor in the state of Kentucky. In 2017, she served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the U.N. General Assembly under President George W. Bush’s administration.

The UN position has been vacated since October after Nikki Haley unexpectedly resign from the post. Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the State Department was nominated for the job in December, but withdrew her name from consideration last Saturday, citing family issue.

“I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Pompeo for the trust they placed in me for considering me for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,” Nauert wrote in a statement. “However, the past two months have been grueling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from consideration.”