What is Nikki Haley up to?

WAVERING voters in competitive congressional districts are not going to cast their ballots based on when America’s ambassador to the UN resigned. That Nikki Haley chose to do so on October 9th is nonetheless odd. Just a few weeks before the mid-terms, when Republicans are still crowing about having installed Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, her resignation reinforces the impression that the Trump administration cannot hire and keep “the best people”. Still, anyone to whom that matters is probably voting for a Democrat anyway. President Donald Trump’s most dedicated supporters have little use for the UN and would be happy to see Ms Haley’s position unfilled. Her departure will not move the needle now. It nevertheless set off a lot of speculation about what she is up to.

Ms Haley’s resignation seems to have caught White House staff by surprise. Despite a recent report raising questions about her use of private jets, Ms Haley faced no pressure to resign. Unlike many of the president’s initial cabinet appointees, she began as a critic rather than a supporter of Mr Trump. But, like so many other Republicans, she turned from critic to good soldier, promoting Mr Trump’s policies and adopting his combative style—warning before member states voted on a resolution condemning Mr Trump’s decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem that “the US would be taking names”.