SC Gov. Haley reportedly being considered for Trump’s Secretary of State
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley and Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster are contenders for positions in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet.
Trump’s transition team approached McMaster, a former S.C. attorney general, about possibly being U.S. attorney general.
“I’ve been asked if I would be interested,” said McMaster, who was the first statewide elected official nationally to endorse Trump.
In addition, members of Trump’s presidential transition team have discussed Haley as a potential secretary of state and for at least one other position, McMaster said, declining to name the other position.
“Her name has been mentioned,” McMaster said, adding, “The depths of consideration for the various names that have been mentioned for various things, I couldn’t tell you.”
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough tweeted Wednesday that Haley, a second-term governor, reportedly is being considered by the Trump transition team for secretary of state.
Sources tell me Donald Trump is now considering Governor Nikki Haley for Secretary of State.
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) November 16, 2016
Other names being floated for the nation’s chief diplomat include: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former U.N. ambassador John Bolton.
The choice of Haley would be surprising.
She opposed Trump during the GOP's primary season, endorsing first U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and, after Rubio dropped out, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the last Trump challenger.
While supporting Rubio, Haley admonished Trump to release his tax returns. Trump responded with a tweet critical of Haley.
The people of South Carolina are embarrassed by Nikki Haley!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2016
Haley offered a classically Southern response:
@realDonaldTrump, Bless your heart.
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) March 1, 2016
As a governor, Haley has limited foreign policy experience other than trips abroad — to Europe, the Far East and India — for business recruitment. Also, she was elected vice chair of the Republican Governors Association on Wednesday and is expected to become chairman of that group in 2018.
The governor’s office declined to comment Wednesday on the speculation.
McMaster, meanwhile, previously has said he planned to run for the GOP nomination for governor in 2018, when Haley is term limited.
This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 4:54 PM with the headline "SC Gov. Haley reportedly being considered for Trump’s Secretary of State."