Heather Nauert — the nominee to be the next American UN ambassador — stands alongside US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on an Oct. 2018 flight to Mexico City. Photo: Reuters / Pool.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next American ambassador to the United Nations — replacing the highly-regarded former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, who announced on Oct. 9 that she would be stepping down as envoy to the global organization.

Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, swiftly welcomed Nauert’s  appointment.

“Ms. Nauert has stood by the State of Israel in her previous positions, and I have no doubt that the cooperation between our two countries will continue to strengthen as ambassador to the UN,” Danon said in a statement.

Danon also paid tribute to Haley, who made tackling UN bias against Israel a key priority during her tenure. “In the past two years, we have worked closely with Ambassador Nikki Haley to change the hostile spirit in the UN, which has led to unprecedented achievements,” Danon said. “Ambassador Haley will always be a true friend of the State of Israel.”

Congratulations to Heather Nauert on her nomination by the President to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. We wish you well and look forward to supporting you through the transition and beyond. ??

— US Mission to the UN (@USUN) December 7, 2018

Currently the spokesperson for the State Department, Nauert is regarded as a close ally of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Previously, she was a Fox News presenter and correspondent.

Assuming that Nauert wins Senate approval after her upcoming confirmation hearing, the UN post will be her first policy role in the US government.

Trump also announced on Friday that he was appointing William Barr — who served as attorney general under the late President George H.W. Bush — as the next head of the Justice Department.