Vox Sentences: Nikki Haley’s diplomatic exit

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Nikki Haley resigns as America’s ambassador to the United Nations; left-wing groups protest Emmanuel Macron’s social reforms in France.

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is out

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

• President Trump accepted Nikki Haley’s resignation as the United States ambassador to the United Nations this morning. [Axios / Jonathan Swan]
• Speaking in the Oval Office alongside Trump, Haley publicly announced her resignation and shut down rumors of her running for president in 2020, endorsing Trump, her former boss, instead. [Vox / Alex Ward]
• In her leaked resignation letter, Haley wrote she will “once again become a private citizen” but will continue to speak out on important public policy affairs. Haley has been in public office since 2005, serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives before becoming the state’s governor in 2011. [Washington Examiner / Daniel Chaitin]
• Haley’s abrupt exit sparked numerous theories by news sites as to why she’s leaving, with some suggesting she was edged out by the administration for her moderate views, and others that she’s looking for a more lucrative job to pay off outstanding debts. [CNN / Chris Cillizza]
• During her tenure, Haley had a politically canny approach to policy. She repeatedly condemned Russia for its war on Ukraine, interference in the US election, and human right abuses in Syria, but also focused a lot on two subjects popular among Republicans: hostility to Iran and support for Israel. [Vox / Zack Beauchamp]
• President Trump said he is considering “numerous people” to fill Haley’s position — including his daughter Ivanka Trump — but has not yet settled on a pick. [CNN / Jeremy Diamond]

Thousands walk against Macron

• Thousands of students, pensioners, and trade union members took to the streets of Paris on Tuesday to protest French President Emmanuel Macron’s series of social reforms. [France 24]
• The marchers were reportedly protesting the federal government’s latest reform policies, which they said damage the nation’s social model and promote inequality. [RT]
• According to local media, five protesters were arrested after violence broke out on the streets. Police officers reportedly used tear gas to stop the demonstrators. [Voice of Europe]
• The General Confederation of Labour, a French trade union, said more than 50,000 people joined the Paris protest. Police estimate the tally was closer to 11,000. [Express UK / Joe Duggan]
• Smaller demonstrations were held the same day in Nice, Nantes, Marseilles, and other cities. Macron has not yet spoken or released a statement in response to the events. [Daily Mail / Khaleda Rahman]

Miscellaneous

• How pith helmets — like the one first lady Melania Trump wore on a recent visit to Nairobi — became a symbol of colonialism. [Washington Post / Antonia Noori Farzan]
• Chicago’s Lyric Opera orchestra went on strike Tuesday after the company announced radical changes to the troupe, including cutting five musician positions, reducing pay by 8 percent, and eliminating all of Lyric’s radio broadcasts. [Chicago Reader / Deanna Isaacs]
• Netflix signed a deal to finance and release a drama based on the Panama Papers, with stars including Gary Oldman, Meryl Streep, and Antonio Banderas attached to the project. [Deadline / Mike Fleming Jr.]
• After Taylor Swift posted an Instagram encouraging people to register to vote (and endorsed two Tennessee Democrats), Vote.org reported a spike in voter registration, especially among people ages 18 to 29. [NBC News / Kalhan Rosenblatt]

Verbatim

“If somebody called my wife a dog and said my daddy was in on the Kennedy assassination, I wouldn’t be kissing their ass. You stick a finger in their chest and give ’em a few choice words. Or you drag their ass out by the woodshed and kick their ass, Ted.” [Richard Linklater’s latest directorial project, an anti-Ted Cruz ad, attacks the Republican senator’s campaign slogan, “Tough as Texas” / Vice]

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