(Image source from: timesofisrael.com)

President Donald Trump has nominated his diplomat to Canada Kelly Knight Craft as the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations to succeed Indian-American Nikki Haley.

If confirmed by the Senate, Craft, 56, would replace Haley, who stepped down from the post earlier this year after serving nearly two years as the UN ambassador.

The 46-year-old former South Carolina governor was the first Indian American ever appointed to a Cabinet position in any U.S. presidential administration. 

"I am pleased to announce that Kelly Knight Craft, our current Ambassador to Canada, is being nominated to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump announced on Twitter Friday night.

"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 said.

Haley congratulated Craft shortly after the president's online announcement. "She's done a great job representing us as @USAmbCanada and we know she'll be a strong voice for America at the United Nations. #USstrong," the former ambassador said in a Tweet.

Craft, a former businesswoman, is the country’s first woman ambassador to Canada. 

Craft is Trump's second choice to replace Haley. His first choice, former State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, withdrew her name from consideration on February 16, citing personal and family reasons. 

Craft has been ambassador to Canada since October 2017. Earlier, she served as an alternate delegate to the UN during the George W Bush administration. 

Craft has also been a supporter of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade deal that was negotiated by the Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), although not yet approved by Congress.

The native of Kentucky has been married to billionaire coal mining businessman Joe Craft since 2016. The couple is both long-run and benevolent donors to the Republican party.

-Sowmya Sangam