Nikki Haley: Resignation and future plans

The shock exit of Nikki Haley, who was serving as the American Ambassador to the United Nations, from the Trump administration has surprised everyone.

A high profile exit from team Trump, Haley was one of the few women in Trump's cabinet.

She was seen as one of the most effective and outspoken faces of the administration. 

The daughter of immigrants from India, Haley was the first cabinet-level UN Ambassador for a Republican government since the end of cold war. 

American media reports suggest that while some White House staffers were indeed caught by surprise, Haley had discussed her resignation with President Trump last week. 

Nikki Haley's tenure as the UN ambassador has raised her political profile. In 2017, the Time magazine had put Haley on its cover -- as one of the women who is changing the world. 

Haley is now being counted as one of the possible challengers to Trump in the 2020 general elections. She has however clarified that she has no intention of running for the post.

Many feel that she could be eyeing a role in the private sector for the short term.

Haley has spent eight years in government that includes a six-year tenure as the governor of the state of South Carolina. These are not well-paying jobs.

According to Haley's 2018 financial disclosures, she has a debt of more than one million dollars. 

Experts also believe that Haley was being edged out by Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, who recently joined the Trump administration. Both Pompeo and Bolton are foreign policy hardliners, Haley wanted to toe a more moderate line.

As a result, she had frequent clashes with Trump in recent times, especially on policy decisions regarding Russia. 

But there is little doubt that Haley is a strong candidate for the presidency of the United States. She has better approval ratings than Trump, and has found support among key Republican demographics. 

If not 2020, we can certainly expect to hear more about haley in 2024.

Nikki Haley's decision to quit was indeed a surprise. And equally surprising was her appointment by Trump as the UN ambassador in 2016.

Haley was seen as a strong critic for Trump. For the 2016 elections, she threw her support behind Tump's rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. 

She even confronted candidate Trump's call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering America. 

Despite Trump's bold and disruptive moves, Haley managed to use her ambassadorship at the United Nations to raise her political profile. Unlike several other former members of the Trump administration, she is leaving the job unscathed and on a high. 

Even after joining the Trump administration Haley did not shy away from voicing her opinion on controversial issues. Even if it was at divergence with trump's views. 

Most recently, when judge Brett Kavanaugh faced charges of sexual harassment just before his confirmation Haley argued that accusers should be heard.

Even when Trump mocked Christine Blasey Ford who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. 

While Haley's departure may have been on amicable terms, her departure will pinch the Trump administration. 

She stood out for her outspoken criticism of Russia at the UN. Haley even backed Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as the US Withdrawal from the UN human rights council. 

She will leave the position by the end of the year. Trump is yet to name her successor.