NANNY ROW: TRUMP NOMINEE PULLS OUT OF UN ENVOY RACE

WASHINGTON : Heather Nauert, President Donald Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to the UN, has withdrawn herself from consideration. She was named by Trump to succeed Nikki Haley, the first Indian-american to hold the position.

Nauert had reportedly employed a nanny who was in the country legally but did not have work authorisation. The White House was apparently alerted to this during background checks, according to multiple reports. The reports, if true, would not have served her well during the confirmation process. Nauert’s nomination was never sent to the US Senate confirmation even weeks after the announcement.

The state department, where Nauert served as spokesperson, announced her withdrawal in a statement on Saturday, adding that Trump will be naming a replacement soon.

Nauert said she was grateful to have been named but “the past two months have been gruelling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from consideration.” The statement did not specify the hardship on her family but the Washington Post said Nauert’s husband and children had remained in New York while she was working in Washington.

Secretary of state Mike Pompeo said Nauert’s “personal decision today to withdraw her name … is a decision for which I have great respect”.

A former Fox New host and state department spokesperson, Nauert’s qualifications had been questioned by many lawmakers as too thin for the job.

And Haley had seemed like a hard act to follow, as her tenure had earned her appreciation and respect both at home and abroad, despite having no prior foreign policy experience.