US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley to be the next US ambassador to the United Nations. As the daughter of Indian immigrants - Haley will be the first non-white female on Trump's top team. But does her appointment help Trump curb the criticism?
There's just a single road separating the US mission from the United Nations itself.But UN watchers are worried that gap will widen under a Trump Presidency.
"It's pretty clear Donald Trump is on a collision course with the UN on issues from climate change to human rights and UN officials are very very concerned about what the Trump presidency means for them." said Richrd Gowan,fellow of European Council of Foreign Relations.
During campaigning, Trump vowed to revisit the UN-backed Iran nuclear deal.And threatened to pull out of the recent UN climate change agreement.
"We're going to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement. And stop all payments of the United States tax dollars to UN global warming programs." said Donald Trump.
But his cabinet selections so far have encouraged some analysts, suggesting he is open to support.
"He's going to bring in people who are highly experienced from what we have seen. And they will probably bring much more perspective to the realities of the situation are and that may temper him. So I certainly think you're going to see a change of position towards the UN, but I doubt you're going to see the wholesale out-the-window chucking of many of the policies he advocated on the campaign trail." said Michael John Williams,prof. of Int'l Relations from New York University.
Yet, Nikki Haley is not known for her diplomatic or international experience, having had very little as South Carolina's Governor.
That said, she is considered a deal-maker rather than an aggressive agitator.
And that could help send a message of potential peacemaking to the Security Council's Permanent Five members, like China.
"China is a powerful actor at the UN but often avoids controversies. And I expect that Chinese diplomats will be hoping that they don't have major showdowns with the Trump administration whether on issues such as Syria or issues such as climate change which is a big priority for Beijing." Richrd Gowan said.
Trump is already modifying his position on climate change - perhaps paving the way for Haley to start relations with the UN off right. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump said he DOES believe there is "some" link between human activity and global warming - and that he now has an "open mind" about the Paris accord.
The outgoing US representative Samantha Power will likely step down around the time of Trump's inauguration in January. With Nikki Haley taking over shortly after.
