President-elect Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will not invite Nikki Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, or Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state and CIA director, to join his administration.
Trump expressed his appreciation for their previous service but confirmed that neither would be part of his Cabinet as it takes shape. This decision came after reports suggested Pompeo, 60, was being considered for the secretary of defense role.
Haley, 52, who previously served as the governor of South Carolina, ran for the 2016 Republican nomination but dropped out and endorsed Marco Rubio. Despite this, Trump appointed her as U.N. ambassador, a position she held until resigning in 2018.
Although Trump had praised her and hinted at a future role in his administration, she did not run for president in 2020 but later launched a bid in 2024. After suspending her campaign, she endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention in July.
In a September interview, Haley noted that while she didn’t agree with Trump all the time, she believed the country was better under his policies, particularly on immigration, law and order, the economy, and national security.
Pompeo, who also endorsed Trump at the RNC, served throughout Trump’s first term and chose not to challenge him for the 2024 nomination.
Additionally, Trump announced that Susie Wiles, his campaign co-chair, will serve as White House chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold this position.
