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Trump appoints outspoken critic Nikki Haley as UN ambassador

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has criticised Mr Trump for being too slow to distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan.聽

Nikki Haley could be Mr Trump's first female appointment
Image: Nikki Haley became the first female governor of South Carolina in 2010
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Amid rows with the press, conflict of interest allegations and accusations of emboldening white supremacists, President-elect Donald Trump continues with his transition process.

His latest appointment is South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who is his choice to be the new US ambassador to the United Nations.

This is interesting.

Ms Haley, long considered a rising star of the new, more diverse, more modern branch of the Republican Party, supported Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the primaries.

Nikki Haley supported Marco Rubio during the primaries
Image: Nikki Haley supported Marco Rubio during the Republican primaries

The 44-year-old became a fearless, outspoken critic of Trump, dressing him down for being too slow to distance himself from the Ku Klux Klan. 

She said: "I will not stop until we fight a man that chooses not to disavow the KKK. That is not a part of our party.

"That is not who we are." 

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Mr Trump called her "weak" on illegal immigration. 

His followers made fun of her Indian heritage online and in social media. 

But with her appointment, Mr Trump has shown himself able to recognise the value and talents of those who have opposed him. 

Ben Carson, pictured with Donald Trump, has ruled himself out of a Cabinet role
Image: Ben Carson is set to be Housing and Urban Development Secretary

It also appears that he is making an effort to diversify his cabinet, which until this point consisted only of older white men. 

Ms Haley is the daughter of Sikh Indian immigrants and became the first female governor of South Carolina when she was elected there in 2010.  

Her presence in Mr Trump's cabinet may well comfort those worried about the after-effects of an election that divided America.   

Others might view it as a cynical ploy to tamp down concern that Mr Trump has emboldened white nationalists, and that his chief of strategy, Steve Bannon, is too closely tied to the alt-right movement, a platform feared to attract people with racist views.     

It is perfectly possible that Mr Trump's decision might be both a genuine attempt to unify and a PR tactic.

I also expect that Mr Trump judged the popular, competent Ms Haley to be too much of a threat to leave out in the cold. 

This way, he creates the kind of alliance that might serve him well when election season rolls around again in 2020.