Trump's rumored choice for U.N. ambassador isn't in the running anymore

(Image credit: Mandel Ngan / Getty Images)

published 29 November 2018

It's been nearly a month since President Trump said he would announce a new U.N. ambassador "before the end of the week," but he doesn't appear to be much closer to finally doing so.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert is no longer being considered for the position, Politico reported Thursday. Multiple outlets, including ABC News and CNN, reported in early November that Nauert was Trump's top choice and that he had even offered her the job, but now, she's apparently out of the running for a variety of reasons, including her scant foreign policy experience.

It seems Trump is struggling to settle on a new candidate, with Politico reporting that "no one has grabbed the front-runner mantel" and a source close to the White House saying that this seems to be "the position they could never quite find someone to fill." Among those in consideration now are reportedly Michigan Republican John James, who lost a Senate race against Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox