Indo-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had a “good meeting” with President-elect Donald Trump in New York on Thursday. This meeting took place amid the speculation that she is being considered for the job of secretary of state or other cabinet positions.
Keeping aside the election campaign feuds, Haley had a meeting with Trump and she is expected to be given a place in Trump’s administration. Haley is the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Amritsar district and her full name is Nimrata Randhawa. She is married to Michael Haley.
Concluding the meeting of Haley with Trump, “They had a good discussion, and she is very encouraged about the coming administration and the new direction it will bring to Washington.”
Trump’s former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway was noncommittal about a position for Haley in the Trump administration. She told reporters “We’re just happy to have her here for her advice and counsel and to hear about the great success story of South Carolina.”
Trump, who ran a scorch earth campaign, is now reaching out to his critics in an attempt douse the flames discord he had flamed.
If Republican Haley gets a cabinet job, she would be the first Indian-American to ascend to that level marking a historic milestone for the community in a year that saw a political breakthrough.
Democrat California Attorney General Kamala Harris became the first Indian American elected to the Senate. Three Indian Americans, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, and Ro Khanna of California won seats in the House of Representatives, where they will join fellow-Democrat Ami Bera of California, who was re-elected.
Now Speculations says that Mitt Romney might overshadow the chances of Nikki Haley for the highest diplomatic post.
However, Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate in 2012, was scheduled to meet Trump over the weekend. He has said that the only job he would be interested in was secretary of state that might lower down the chances of Nikki Haley of getting the top diplomatic post.
Changing calculations of Donald Trump’s Administration
Speculations about Trump’s cabinet choices have been rapidly changing. First reports said that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former UN Permanent Representative John Bolton were the front runners for secretary of state.
On Wednesday, when Haley’s meeting with Trump was scheduled, CNN and MSNBC independently quoted unnamed sources in the Trump transition team as saying that she was being considered for the foreign policy job.
Now there is mention in the media that she may be also considered for commerce secretary given her strong track record in getting foreign investment into her state.
