Statecraft

Trump Ready to Nix Nikki?

Nikki Haley, the fiery US ambassador to the United Nations, seems to have crossed swords with her boss in the White House. President Trump is said to have taken to shouting at the TV whenever he sees her making statements.

Last weekend, the spat flew spectacularly into the open when Trump undercut Haley over her claims that the White House was about to impose new sanctions on Russia. Trump's blood pressure reportedly surged with rage at her apparent uppityness to make up policy on the hoof.

Next day, the Trump administration pointedly announced it was holding off on new sanctions against Moscow. Haley was embarrassingly left hanging out to dry. A senior Trump aide told US media that the UN ambassador had gotten "confused". Haley then hit back at the slight, saying she "doesn't get confused".

There seems little doubt that the former South Carolina governor who was once such a rising star in Team Trump has now fallen out of favor with the president.

Such rapid reversal in fortune is par for the course for those who work for Trump. Rex Tillerson, HR McMaster, and many other senior members of his administration, have all been ditched by the president at a moment's notice, usually via his Twitter feed.