When Nikki Haley surprised Washington this week by saying she will resign as the American ambassador to the United Nations at the end of the year, plenty of commentators wondered if there were any ulterior motives behind her departure.
It actually does make sense for Haley to reveal her plans before next month’s elections. If she delayed the announcement until after the midterms, and President Trump and his Republican Party lost control of either house of Congress, it would look like she was abandoning ship. That’s not the image anyone with political aspirations seeks.
Personal finances would be a more likely reason Haley has decided to leave. She was governor of South Carolina for six years before taking the U.N. job, and it’s no secret that while prominent government officials get plenty of publicity, they often give up a lot of earnings power in their prime working years.
Haley reportedly has one child in college and another one preparing to enter. That will cost money, and she can remain in the public eye for a few years while holding a private-sector job.
Haley is one of the few people in this president’s Cabinet that has thrived. Maybe it’s because she spent most of her time at the U.N. in New York instead of in Washington. But she also was willing to speak her mind, such as when she rebuked the White House for suggesting she had been confused about whether the United States would impose new sanctions on Russia.
She said Monday she isn’t running against Trump in 2020. But she didn’t mention 2024, when the president, should he win a second term, will not be able to seek a third.
It’s far too early to speculate about 2024.
But it’s easy to see that Haley, if she so chooses, would be a compelling presidential candidate.
