Trump picks South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as ambassador to the U.N.

WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday picked South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a rising star in the GOP, as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, an announcement that brings a measure of diversity to a transition that has been dominated by white, male figures.

Haley, 44, and the daughter of Indian immigrants, is the first woman and first person of color to be picked for the new administration.

Charismatic and popular in her home state, she was sharply critical of Trump during the campaign. She scolded what she called voices of hatred as being counter-productive. After initially supporting Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, she backed Trump’s rival Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas during the party’s primaries.

But Haley later moved to mend relations with Trump and supported him in the general election.

In a statement released by his transition office, Trump praised Haley for having “a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country.”

“She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals,” the statement said.

For the president-elect, who has picked several people for his administration so far who come from the right wing of the Republican party, the Haley pick represents a nod to more moderate forces, especially in the realm of global diplomacy.

Haley has virtually no experience in foreign affairs, however, and will have a steep learning curve. Most previous ambassadors to the U.N. have been steeped in diplomacy, and the post can be a complicated stew of negotiation, compromise and patience.

It is not clear how much influence the UN ambassador will have in the new administration. Trump was dismissive of the United Nations and other international venues during his campaign.