Kelly Knight Craft has been formally nominated to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Photo by Andrew Scheer/Flickr

May 2 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Thursday formally nominated Kelly Craft to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Craft, the current U.S. ambassador to Canada, would replace Nikki Haley, who resigned last year.


The White House sent the nomination Thursday to the Senate, more than two months after the president announced his intention to nominate Craft.

"Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our Nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our Country will be represented at the highest level. Congratulations to Kelly and her entire family!," Trump tweeted on Feb. 22.

On Dec. 7, Trump posted on Twitter first choice, Heather Nauert, an assistant secretary of state. But on Feb. 16 she withdrew, saying the "past two months have been grueling for my family," including reportedly dealing with a vetting process that included a nanny without proper work authorization. Trump never formally nominated Nauert.

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee will first consider the nomination and then it goes before the full Senate with a majority vote necessary for confirmation.

Craft, 57, became ambassador to Canada in October 2017 after being confirmed by a 96-4 vote in the Senate. Before becoming an ambassador, she served on the board of trustees of her alma mater, the University of Kentucky, for a term beginning August 2016

President George W. Bush appointed her an alternate delegate to the United Nations in 2007.

Craft, a Kentucky native, and her husband, billionaire coal mining executive Joe Craft, have been big Republican donors. They were married in 2016.

They backed Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida to become president Republican. Rubio is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.

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Politico reported that Trump will take the position out of the Cabinet.