Indian-American Nikki Haley being considered for a Cabinet position, particularly for Secretary of State
Indian-American Nikki Haley will meet US President-elect Donald Trump today. The presidential transition team has said amid reports that the two-term Governor of South Carolina is being considered for a Cabinet position, particularly for the high-profile post of Secretary of State.
In a conference call with reporters last night, the transition team's spokesman Sean Spicer listed 44-year-old Nikki Haley as one of the candidates Donald Trump would be meeting today.
Mr Trump will also be meeting former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Gen (rtd) Jack Keane, Admiral Mike Rogers and Ken Blackwell.
While some of these meetings are about potential cabinet members, others are about sharing ideas and advice.
Earlier in the day, a close aide of Donald Trump from South Carolina said that Ms Haley was being considered for a Cabinet position, including that of the Secretary of State.
"It would be like how Mr Trump is bringing fresh eyes to running our government," South Carolina Lt Governor Henry McMaster told The Post and Courier. The daily did not provide any other details.
Mr McMaster was one of the earliest ones to have endorsed Donald Trump during the primaries and has been praised by the President-elect several times in the past.
Though Ms Haley had first endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the primaries, she later came out in full support of Donald Trump before the general elections, saying that she would be voting for the billionaire tycoon from New York.
The Trump transition team has so far not given any indication of who all will be filling various Cabinet positions. The President-elect himself has tweeted that only he knows the final list.
Mr McMaster, who started speaking with Mr Trump's team soon after their historic victory told the local South Carolina daily that the first women governor of the State, who is also the first Indian-American woman governor, is being considered for various Cabinet position, including the State of State.
Neither the office of the South Carolina Governor nor the Trump transition team have responded to this report so far. The news was welcomed in South Carolina.
Ms Haley is the second Indian-American name being floated for a Cabinet position in the Trump Administration. Former Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal is also appearing in many short lists of potential Cabinet names.