Washington:
Newly-elected US President Donald Trump on Saturday ruled out reappointing two senior figures from his first administration, ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
Trump wrote on his social network Truth Social that he will not “invite” either figure to join his administration as speculation swirls about the identity of his new team.
Pompeo had outlined a hawkish plan for Ukraine in July that included more arms transfers and crackdowns on Russia's energy sector, which analysts noted Saturday was at odds with Trump's campaign statements.
Trump has repeatedly boasted that he could end the war in Ukraine in his first 24 hours in power and criticized U.S. assistance to Kiev in the fight against Russia.
Haley took on Trump in this year's Republican primaries before endorsing him, but she sometimes offered blunt advice, such as when she urged him in August to “stop whining” about Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
“I have greatly appreciated working with them and would like to thank them for their service to our country,” Trump wrote on Saturday.
Trump has made one Cabinet appointment so far, naming his campaign manager Susie Wiles – whom he calls “ice baby” because of her supposedly unflappable temperament – as his White House chief of staff.
She is the first woman to be appointed gatekeeper in the White House.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Our staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
