Nikki Haley has resigned as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in a surprising move that will stir speculation about the popular Republican's future.
Haley offered her resignation to President Donald Trump after a widely praised tenure at the U.N. marked by strong defense of Israel, a robust criticism of Russia's malfeasances, and leadership of the global sanctions regime against North Korea.
She will leave at the end of the year.
Trump tweeted he and Haley would appear together in the Oval Office Tuesday morning. Axios first reported the resignation and other outlets shortly after confirmed the news. NBC News reported that Haley had also informed her staff she would be resigning.
The reasoning behind her resignation is not yet known. Haley enjoys strong support among Republicans and has long been rumored to harbor future presidential ambitions.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1049665483182694402
Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, was a critic of Trump's during the 2016 Republican primaries and endorsed his opponent Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.). The New York Times noted Trump's nomination of her to the U.N. post was an olive branch of sorts to the Republican establishment after the bruising 2016 cycle.
Haley told reporters in the Oval Office she would leave at the end of the year. Trump praised her for doing a "fantastic job" and said she was "very special."
UPDATE: 11:27 A.M.: This article was updated with remarks by Haley and Trump in the Oval Office.