President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Heather Nauert, has withdrawn from consideration due to a scandal involving her employment of a nanny not eligible to work.
The State Department confirmed the news in a statement over the weekend.
“Today Heather Nauert withdrew herself from consideration for the nomination of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The President will make an announcement with respect to a nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations soon,” deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said.
Nauert was to succeed former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, but her nomination was never formally sent to the Senate for confirmation, The Washington Post reports.
According to three sources speaking on condition of anonymity, the withdrawal came as a result of reports that Nauert had employed a nanny who was in the country illegally. Another person familiar with the situation said the nanny was a legal resident of the United States but during her employment failed to pay taxes. She was also not legally allowed to work and the Nauerts paid her salary in cash.
Nauert reported the nanny situation to the Diplomatic Security when she filled out the paperwork for the UN position and after learning it would be an issue, she decided to withdraw herself from consideration.
“I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Pompeo for the trust they placed in me for considering me for the position of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. However, the past two months have been grueling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from consideration,” Nauert said in a statement.
The State Department said Trump will make an announcement about a new nominee soon.
It is unclear whether Nauert, who served as the State Department’s spokeswoman since April 2017, would return to the post.
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