State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert has withdrawn herself from consideration to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the department said Saturday.
President Trump announced his intention in December to nominate Ms. Nauert, 49, to replace Ambassador Nikki Haley, who departed at the end of the year.
At the time, the president said Ms. Nauert — a former Fox News personality — had been doing “a great job” at the State Department since the beginning of his administration.
Yet some questioned whether she had the background and qualifications for the role, and the White House never formally sent her nomination to the Senate.
In a release from the State Department, Ms. Nauert said she is grateful to Mr. Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo “for the trust they placed in me for considering me for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.”
“However,” she said, “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.”
The State Department said Mr. Trump would announce a nominee to the ambassador post soon.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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