Interviewed in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today for U.N. Ambassador, 44-year-old South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a reluctant backer of President-elect Donald Trump, gave the media more red meat to criticize Trump. Haley praised the U.N.’s importance in global affairs, dismissing recent remarks by Trump and other Republicans to de-fund the U.N. for its anti-Israel bias. When President Barack Obama abstained from voting Dec. 23, 2016 to condemn Israeli settlement-building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, key members of the U.S. Senate, including Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged President-elect Trump to consider de-funding the U.N. “I will show him that the U.N. matters . . . Hopefully we can get him to see it the way we see it,” said Haley, showing there’s several degrees of separation with the soon-to-be president.
Leaving her South Carolina governor’s job to become Trump’s U.N. Ambassador, many voters believed Haley had a bright future in the Republican Party. Haley backed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush heading into the Feb. 20 South Carolina primary. Trump told a national audience at a CBS News debate in Greenville, S.C. that “Bush lied” about weapons-of-mass-destruction in Iraq, prompting jeers from the Bush-friendly crowd. Haley criticized Trump at the time for his remarks about the Bush family, especially former President George W. Bush. Haley disagreed with Trump’s recent critique of the U.N. Trump called the U.N. “a club to for people to get together, talk and have a good time.” “When do you see the United Nations solving problems? They don’t. They cause problems,” Trump said, prompting Haley to go to the U.N.’s defense, pleasing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Playing good-cop, bad-cop with Trump, Haley’s a shoe-in for U.N. Ambassador, showing the kind of personality and temperament needed to get along in the international body. Trump’s recent critical remarks echo the Dec. 23 vote condemning Israel for settlement-building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, something the U.N. sees as an obstacle to a two-state solution. U.N. officials, as Trump points out, seek any opportunity to slam Israel, something he intends to change. Trump had strong words for Obama his U.N. Amb. Samantha Power for voting with the anti-Semitic hoard Dec. 23 to condemn Israel settlement-building. “So if it lives up to its potential, it’s a great thing. And if it doesn’t, it’s a waste of time and money,” said Trump, putting Haley on notice that he’ll call the shots. Haley told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she’s a big backer of NATO.
During the campaign the press did its best to distort Trump remarks about NATO, calling the organization “obsolete.” “I think NATO is an important alliance for us to have,” Haley told the committee. “I think it’s one we need to strengthen,” said Haley, countering Trump’s remarks about NATO being obsolete. Unlike many war hawks in the GOP like Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Trump wants to reset U.S.-Russian relations. Haley clearly buys the Cold War rhetoric accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin with interfering in the 2016 election. Unsubstantiated reports of Putin influencing Trump’s victory have poisoned the inauguration, with many members the Congressional black caucus boycotting the event. Civil right pioneer Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said Jan. 14 that Trump is not a legitimate President-elect because of Putin.
Haley slammed Trump during the 2016 campaign for proposing a Muslim ban to prevent more domestic terrorism. Calling Trump’s Muslim ban “an embarrassment,” Haley became one of Trump’s worst critics. “Absolutely un-American and unconstitutional,” Haley said of Trump’s Muslim ban. “It defies everything that this country was based on, and it’s just wrong,” said Haley, forgetting that Islamic terrorism has started washing up on American streets. Haley acts like Sept. 11 never took place, directing her ire at Trump, not perpetrators of Mideast-type terrorism on U.S. soil. Acting critical of Trump won Haley fans in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She tried to reassure committee members that she plans help educate Trump on issues related to U.S. foreign policy. “Any comments that the president-elect has made, those are his comments,” said Haley, disavowing any approval of Trump’s views on Muslims or U.S.-Russian relations.
When Haley’s approved for U.N. Ambassador, she’s in for a rude awakening about running afoul with the soon-to-be president. If Haley views Trump’s foreign policy so objectionably, she should withdraw her name as U.N. ambassador. Obama’s U.N. Amb. Susan Power betrayed all logic Dec. 23 voting with the U.N.’s anti-Semitic crowd, denouncing Israel for settlement-building. “Once the president-elect gets to hear from his national security team, I think what he says after that will be most important,” said Haley, believing she can change Trump’s mind on key foreign policy issues. Trump’s views on border security, especially on building a border wall, directly relates to his unwillingness to allow U.S. borders breached by foreigners. Suggesting that Trump’s national security team will “educate” him, hints at more confrontation with his GOP and Democratic critics on Capitol Hill.
