Trump prefers woman for UN post, interviewing 5 candidates

President Trump said he would prefer that the successor to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley be a woman, and notes that he is still considering several people for the position.

The president said to White House pool reporters Saturday afternoon he is interviewing three women and two men to succeed Haley, adding that he would prefer a female candidate take on the role.

The comments follow previous remarks from the president asserting that Haley had made the U.N. ambassadorship more sought-after and “glamorous” than it had been previously, while not explaining what he meant by the remarks.{mosads}

“I think it’s become maybe a more glamorous position than it was two years ago,” Trump said upon the announcement of Haley’s resignation, adding that many people were interested in the post. “Maybe, I wonder why, but it is. She’s made it a very glamorous position.”

Haley has taken on a public role as the U.S.’s voice at the United Nations, including a fiery speech earlier this year rebuking U.N. member nations for “bullying” the state of Israel.

The former South Carolina governor announced her resignation from Trump’s foreign policy team earlier this month, while vowing to not stand as a candidate for any office in 2020 in statements that threw cold water on speculation about her future political ambitions.

“No, I am not running in 2020,” Haley told reporters. “I look forward to supporting the president in the next election.”

Haley was viewed as a mainstream Republican figure in the Trump administration that now must seek to appoint her replacement ahead of the midterms next month and as the Senate still reels from the contentious confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.