U.S. President Donald Trump tapped State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert as the next U.S. envoy to the United Nations (UN), whose fairly blank resume in foreign policy may place tough challenges ahead for her, experts have said.
Trump announced his decision on Friday, praising the 48-year-old spokeswoman as a "very talented, very smart, very quick" person who worked well with State Secretary Mike Pompeo.
Trump administration senior officials, including Pompeo and the White House Spokesperson Sarah Sanders, voiced their support for Nauert, a longtime Fox News host before joining the State Department in April 2017, showing confidence that she will be "a strong voice for the United States" at the UN.
But picking Nauert, an Illinois native, to represent the United States at the international arena is seen by experts as an unorthodox choice, as the veteran news presenter had little political or foreign policy-making experience apart from her less-than-two-year tenure in the State Department.
Choosing Nauert to succeed outgoing Nikki Haley showed that "Trump values the external, outward-facing part of governance and diplomacy," Chris Galdieri, an associate professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua.
For Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, loyalty serves as a key factor. "He (Trump) appointed her because of her personal loyalty to him and alignment with his foreign policy goals," West said.
"She supports tougher U.S. engagement with the world," the researcher added.
After Trump tapping her for the post, experts believe that Nauert may face a tough Senate confirmation hearing on her qualification.
"The loudest opposition will come from Democrats," noted Galdieri, who believes that Nauert's almost total lack of diplomatic experience will be the most obvious weak point that the lawmakers won't let go.
"Unlike Nikki Haley, she (Nauert) doesn't have a background in day-to-day politics to help her navigate the UN," Galdieri added.
Haley, a close Trump ally who announced her resignation in October, served two-term South Carolina governor before assuming the post as top U.S. diplomat at the UN.
Meanwhile, scholars also acknowledged that Nauert has her own strong points.
"It is worth noting that she has now worked closely with two Secretaries of State over the past two years," Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua.
Mahaffee also pointed out that the Trump administration's priority for the UN post should be "an articulate spokesperson at a time when many of the debates before that body are reflecting a competition among ideals and worldviews."
With the Senate having a Republican majority, it will be able to confirm Nauert's nomination, said West.
However, even if confirmed, what's been waiting for Nauert at the UN was not an easy task. "Her (Nauert's) biggest challenge will be supporting Trump's policies at a time they are very contentious around the world," West observed.
"Both friends and foes have doubts about the America First approach and it has driven wedges into many different foreign policy relationships," the expert added.
