WASHINGTON: US president-elect Donald Trump has said that former Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley and former secretary of state Mike Pompeo will not be asked to join his administration.

“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump administration, which is currently in formation,” Trump posted on social media.

“I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our country.”

After winning 312 electoral votes and sweeping all seven swing states, Trump is now meeting with potential candidates to serve in his administration before his Jan 20 inauguration as president. Reuters earlier reported that Trump met prominent investor Scott Bessent, who is a potential US Treasury Secretary nominee.

Haley, a former South Carolina governor who served as US ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, endorsed Trump for president despite having criticised him harshly when she ran against him in the party primaries.

“I was proud to work with President Trump defending America at the United Nations,” Haley said on social media. “I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years.”

Pompeo, who also served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency under Trump, has been mentioned in some media reports as a possible defense secretary and had been also seen a potential Republican presidential candidate, before he announced in April 2023 he would not run.

Pompeo could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

Electoral votes

On the other hand, Arizona swung red in the final result of the US presidential election, bringing Trump to 312 electoral votes, well past the 270 needed for victory, while Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris lagged behind at 226, US networks said.

Trump sealed his sweep of all seven swing states, obtaining Arizona’s 11 electoral votes in another flip of a state that voted for Joe Biden in 2020.

US media have declared Trump the winner in more than half of the 50 states, including key battlegrounds Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, all of which voted Democratic in the last election.

Separately, Trump said the 2025 presidential inauguration will be co-chaired by real estate investor and campaign donor Steve Witkoff and former Senator Kelly Loeffler.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024