New York: Setting aside their campaign feuds, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley had a “good meeting” in New York on Thursday amid speculation that she is being considered for the job of secretary of state or other cabinet positions.
“They had a good discussion, and she is very encouraged about the coming administration and the new direction it will bring to Washington,” her spokesperson Rob Godfrey said after the meeting.
Trump’s former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway was noncommittal about a position for Haley in the Trump administration. “We’re just happy to have her here for her advice and counsel and to hear about the great success story of South Carolina,” she told reporters.
If Republican Haley gets a cabinet job, she would be the first Indian American to ascend to that level marking a historic milestone for the community in a year that saw a political breakthrough.
Democrat California Attorney General Kamala Harris became the first Indian American elected to the Senate. Three Indian Americans, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois, Pramila Jayapal of Washington state, and Ro Khanna of California won seats on the House of Representatives, where they will join fellow-Democrat Ami Bera of California, who was re-elected.
However, a late development cast a shadow on Haley’s hopes for America’s top diplomatic job. The Republican presidential candidate in 2012, Mitt Romney, was scheduled to meet Trump over the weekend. He has said that the only job he would be interested in was secretary of state, leading to new intense media speculation that he may be up for the job.
