Nikki Haley resigns as Trump's UN ambassador

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told her staff members that she is planning to resign, it has emerged.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump and Haley would meet in the Oval Office at 10:30 am, whilst US President Donald Trump tweeted that he has a "big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30 a.m."

Trump later said that Haley would be leaving “at the end of the year” because she wants to “take a break” from her duties as UN Ambassador, noting he is sad to see her go.

Congressional and Trump administration officials informed US media outlets of Haley plans to resign, but spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorised to speak on the record ahead of Trump's announcement.

No reason was provided for Haley’s resignation, who was appointed to her UN post in November 2016.

Throughout her post, Haley was routinely lambasted for her stance on human rights. She consistently voted against UN measures critical of Israel, most recently on a proposal to investigate Israel's use of excessive force in the Gaza Strip.

In May, the UN council held a special meeting to discuss violence in Gaza, following an Israeli massacre of over 60 Palestinian protesters.

The US and Australia were the only two countries to vote against a proposal for an "independent, international commission of inquiry" to investigate violations of human rights in Gaza.

A month later, the US withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council, with Haley saying it’s “not worthy of its name” because of its alleged anti-Israel bias.

Before she was named by Trump to her UN post, Haley was governor of South Carolina, the first woman to hold the post. She was re-elected in 2014.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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