Kelly Knight Craft, the woman who will replace Nikki Haley, has been confirmed as the next ambassador to the United Nations. The full Senate voted 56-34 Wednesday night after Craft was voted out of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee 15-7 earlier in July.
Congratulations to Kelly Knight Craft of #Kentucky on her confirmation as United Nations Ambassador. After having served so admirably as Ambassador to Canada, & having done an outstanding job no matter how difficult the task, Kelly will be fantastic at the United Nations. Winner!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2019
Republican Senator Marco Rubio is also applauding the move.
“I applaud the Senate for confirming Ambassador Kelly Craft to be the next U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The United Nations and many of its organizations have become platforms for Russia, China, and other malign actors to attack the United States and our allies, and to block productive U.N. Security Council resolutions from moving forward. We need another strong ambassador who will not only advocate for the U.S., but also be a staunch voice for global human rights and democracy," Rubio released in a statement. "I have no doubt Ambassador Craft will faithfully represent the United States and I look forward to working with her as she assumes her new role.”
During her confirmation hearing in June, Craft vowed to continue reform of the UN and called on members of the international body to pay their fair share.
"The United States must continue the drumbeat of reformat the UN. Of course, the issue of reform has been something of a mantra for members of both parties on this committee, and for good reason," Craft said. "The United States has long been the world leader in supporting humanitarian aid, spending more than eight billion dollars a year through USAID and international organizations such as UNICEF and the World Food Program. But I also believe other responsible nations can and must do more to contribute their fair share, and I will make that point firmly and frequently. Again, the UN is stronger, not weaker, when more of its members are invested in the success of its most important work."
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She also took on U.S. adversaries and plans to do so in her new position.
"I believe the United States must remain vigilant in constraining efforts by our strategic competitors to gain influence at our expense. I speak in particular about Russia and China–two nations with cynical approaches to the United Nations," she said. "If confirmed, I will miss no opportunity to draw attention malign influence at the UN; to distinguish American leadership from the corrosive, underhanded conduct of those nations; and to reinforce the values—our values—that were central to the UN’s founding."
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