She was a strident critic of Russia and Syria at the UN, and also fiercely critical of what she claimed was the global body's anti-Israel's bias. She supported shutting off US funding for the UN's Palestinian refugee agency and revelled in defending the Trump administration's decision to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the face of an acid show of international criticism. She was also instrumental in pressuring China to support a tough sanctions regime against North Korea.<doc-sep>“So, at the end of the year, Nikki will be leaving, and we’ll be in constant touch. I know that whenever you have any ideas, you’re going to call me, because you know all the players.” President Trump accepted Nikki Haley’s resignation as ambassador to the United Nations. He appointed Haley just weeks after winning the presidential election. “It has been an honor of a lifetime.” She first served under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who preferred behind-the-scenes diplomacy, allowing Haley to step in as the public face of U.S. foreign policy. Haley became a regular on the Sunday political talk shows. “And Jerusalem is where the prime minister is, the president is, the Parliament, the Supreme Court. It makes sense for our embassy to be there.” But one appearance caused a rift with the administration. In April, Haley announced there would be tougher sanctions on Russia for supporting Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. This apparently caught Trump off guard, and one official said Haley was perhaps confused. “In the last half-hour, I was able to get in touch with Nikki Haley and she said, quote, ‘With all due respect, I don’t get confused.’” Haley also championed controversial policy decisions on the world stage. She slashed funds to the Palestinian aid agency, withdrew from the Human Rights Council and made her opposition to Iran her signature goal. In December, Haley staged a presentation of missiles at a military base in Washington, accusing Iran of providing weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen. “The weapons might as well have had ‘Made in Iran’ stickers all over it.” Her evidence fell short, but it served as a step in the Trump administration’s effort to punish Iran for its activities throughout the Middle East. “I, Michael Richard Pompeo …” When Mike Pompeo became secretary of state and John Bolton, national security adviser, they took a more public approach, and Haley became less influential. Bolton became more involved with issues in Haley’s portfolio, like Iran and the International Criminal Court. Haley had many successes of her own, including passing sweeping sanctions on North Korea and imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan. “Look at what has happened in two years with the United States on foreign policy. Now, the United States is respected. Countries may not like what we do, but they respect what we do.” And Haley was widely respected by her diplomatic colleagues, even those from nations who disagreed with this administration’s foreign policy decisions. Many in the U.N. saw Haley as a reasonable figure in an otherwise unpredictable administration — and are closely watching who might succeed her.<doc-sep>South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley speaks to the media as she asks that the Confederate flag be removed from the state capitol grounds on June 22, 2015 in Columbia, South Carolina. Debate over the flag flying on the capitol grounds was kicked off after nine people were shot and killed during a prayer meeting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a brief press availability at United Nations headquarters, January 2, 2018 in New York City. She discussed protests in Iran and the North Korea nuclear threat. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley listens during a UN Security Council meeting, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on April 14, 2018. The UN Security Council on Saturday opened a meeting at Russia's request to discuss military strikes carried out by the United States, France and Britain on Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack. Russia circulated a draft resolution calling for condemnation of the military action, but Britain's ambassador said the strikes were "both right and legal" to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Syria. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMAL (Photo credit should read HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images) US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley speaks during UN Security Council meeting, at United Nations Headquarters in New York, on April 14, 2018. The UN Security Council on Saturday opened a meeting at Russia's request to discuss military strikes carried out by the United States, France and Britain on Syria in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack. Russia circulated a draft resolution calling for condemnation of the military action, but Britain's ambassador said the strikes were "both right and legal" to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Syria. / AFP PHOTO / HECTOR RETAMALHECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 5: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley holds up photos of victims of the Syrian chemical attack during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at U.N. headquarters, April 5, 2017 in New York City. The Security Council is holding emergency talks on Wednesday following the worst use of chemical weapons in Syria since the Ghouta attack in 2013. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 14: United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley listens during a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting concerning the situation in Syria, at United Nations headquarters, April 14, 2018 in New York City. Yesterday the United States and European allies Britain and France launched airstrikes in Syria as punishment for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's suspected role in last week's chemical weapons attacks that killed upwards of 40 people. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (CNN) — In a political world seemingly incapable of being shocked, the resignation of United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley on Tuesday did just that. The most common reaction upon hearing the news, which Axios’ Jonathan Swan first reported, was “WHAT??? ?” (A senior State Department official told CNN that Haley had only told her staff about her resignation Tuesday morning. Another source familiar with the matter said Haley’s resignation caught national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by surprise.) And that reaction was quickly followed by “WHY?? ?” The answer to the second question is now the big story. And, in truth, we just don’t totally know yet why Haley, who seemed to be one of the few Trump administration officials able to stay in the good graces of Trump, the international community and establishment Republicans all at once, would decide to simply (and suddenly) call it quits. Trump, seeking to minimize any damage to himself from the surprise resignation, sat down with his outgoing UN ambassador shortly after the news broke and insisted he a) knew about her plans to leave last week and b) she had made the decision because she had served for two years (actually one year and seven months) and felt like it was time to go. (Haley will leave her job at the end of the year, Trump announced Tuesday.) “It’s been eight years of intense times,” Haley said of her time as governor of South Carolina and her time in the administration. “And I am a believer in term limits.” She added: “I don’t have anything set on where I am going to go.” And that might be true! But, the fact that neither Bolton nor Pompeo had any inkling that Haley was preparing to resign casts some doubt on the this-was-all-part-of-the-plan explanation. And, losing an Indian-American woman four weeks before an election and on the heels of a very contentious Supreme Court fight that divided deeply along gender lines suggests is far less than ideal timing for Trump. So, what else MIGHT be beyond Haley’s shock resignation? Here are a few theories: 1. She got edged out by the likes of Bolton and Pompeo It’s no secret that the national security adviser and secretary of state, respectively, are foreign policy hard-liners. And that while Haley was outwardly very tough within the UN (and the Trump administration), she was reportedly a voice urging more moderation – and toeing the preferred line of establishment Republicans – in private. While Haley was, without question, a star of the first year of Trump’s administration, she did clash with him at times over, among other things, Russia. During a TV appearance in April, Haley announced the US would impose new sanctions on Russia. Trump insisted no such sanctions had been put in place and the White House blamed the misunderstanding on a “momentary confusion” on Haley’s part. She quickly responded that she did not “get confused.” With Bolton and Pompeo as the new shiny objects in the Trump Cabinet, Haley may have seen the writing on the wall – and decided to leave on her own terms (before she is pushed). 2. She needed to make some money Haley has spent a long time in elected (or appointed office). Prior to being elected governor in 2010, she spent six years as a member of the state House. Those are not hugely lucrative jobs. In 2015, the year before she was tapped to serve in the Trump administration, she and her husband reported an annual income of just over $170,000. In 2014, that number was closer to $190,000. And in 2013, Haley and her husband, Michael, reported making $270,000. According to Haley’s 2018 financial disclosure, she reported a significant number of outstanding debts, including somewhere between $25,000 and $65,000 in credit cards, a mortgage in excess of $1 million and a line of credit between $250,000 and $500,000. With one child in college and another headed there in the next few years, Haley could well have been lured by the seven-figure salaries available to someone with a resume like hers in the private sector. (Also worth noting: Over the weekend, Citizens Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government ethics watchdog, requested an investigation into Haley’s acceptance of seven free flights from South Carolina businessmen in 2017.) 3. She wants to run for president There’s very little doubt that Haley has her eye on the White House at some point in the future. (Doubt me? Haley brought her most trusted political adviser – and pollster – Jon Lerner to the UN with her.) Knowing that her resignation would set off talk of a potential primary challenge to Trump in 2020, Haley laughed off the possibility during her comments on Tuesday – making clear she plans to campaign for Trump in two years time. In truth, Haley is too smart to run against Trump in 2020. While Trump’s approval ratings are in bad shape with the broad electorate, he is among the most popular Republican presidents ever among Republican voters. No one is beating Trump in a primary in 2020 – not Haley, not anyone. BUT, just because Haley isn’t running in 2020 doesn’t mean she isn’t running. Remember that whether Trump wins or loses in 2020, the 2024 Republican nomination will be open. Yes, Vice President Mike Pence is a likely candidate – particularly if Trump wins a second term in 2020.<doc-sep>
Aaron David Miller and Richard Sokolsky Opinion contributors Theories are banging around the Beltway faster than commuter traffic about why Nikki Haley chose to resign as the ambassador to the United Nations and why she did it now, one month before the midterm elections. There’s the term limits theory that Haley herself referred to in her formal letter of resignation; there’s the “I need to earn more money theory,” particularly after years of public service; and then there’s this: In the post- Kavanaugh hearings era, it’s not wise to be too closely identified with a president who mocks victims of sexual assault, particularly if you have presidential aspirations, although that problem is going to conflict with Haley’s commitment to campaign for Trump in the runup to 2020. The problem is there’s not a human being on the planet, with the exception of Haley, who can credibly tell you exactly why she resigned and why she chose to do so now. But one thing is pretty clear. Unless the president plans to choose Ivanka Trump (and the government’s nepotism policy and smart politics are likely to prevent that), whoever gets that job will not have Haley’s freedom to speak out or her impact on policy or the president. A Unique Period The United States has had strong ambassadors to the U.N. before — Jeanne Kirkpatrick, John Negroponte, Tom Pickering and John Bolton come to mind. But they functioned within a system that had a greater structure and constraints than marked Haley’s first year. In a way Haley was the lone ranger — a charismatic woman with a close relationship with the president and high public approval ratings who spoke out on policy issues from Iran to Syria to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, seemingly without regard to encroaching on the territory of the nearly invisible Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and a practically dysfunctional National Security Council. That vacuum, however challenging and confusing for foreign governments and our own — must have been energizing and exciting for Haley as she grabbed the center of attention. Physical proximity to the president, which usually favors an NSC adviser who’s a five-minute walk from face time with the boss, was not a handicap for Haley. There’s no Haley 2.0 That party is over. Haley’s star started to dim with the appointments of Mike Pompeo and Bolton. Trump now has two foreign-policy heavyweights — a smart secretary of State who has very good relationship with the president and a national security adviser who has held Haley’s job in New York and is well-versed in the art of bureaucratic warfare. There’s going to be scant room for an independent and outspoken ambassador crossing swords with these strong personalities. Haley lost a battle over the recent decision to have the president chair a U.N. Security Council meeting only on Iran, according to The New York Times. Bolton won that round by smartly broadening the agenda to nonproliferation and avoided having the president totally isolated because of the unpopularity of his Iran policy. More:Will Trump ignore or commandeer the UN? : Column Donald Trump is turning U.S. economic sanctions into an empty threat Trump takes verbal sledgehammer to United Nations foundation Checking the boxes — a pol not a diplomat Before Haley was a diplomat, she was (and still is) a calculating and ambitious politician. As a rising star in the Republican Party, she was all too happy to check four of Trump’s political boxes: pleasing Israel, Christian evangelicals, conservative Republicans and the American Jewish community, especially those with deep pockets for GOP causes and candidates. She accomplished all these objectives, while kicking the U.N. around to please the global governance haters among Trump’s base with great aplomb and political acumen. Her successor, assuming she or he wants to keep the job, will simply have to follow the path Haley cut. And what’s remarkable is that she did all of this with a warm and engaging persona, a quick mastery of the issues and even a capacity to challenge the president on issues such as Russia without suffering fatal consequences. All of this is a testament to her formidable political skills and, even as she carried out Trump’s policies, an independent streak. The action won’t be in New York Haley’s successor will also not have to operate under the glare of the diplomatic spotlight.