Trump to nominate Bill Barr as attorney general; Heather Nauert as UN ambassador

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Friday said he will nominate William Barr to be his next attorney general and Heather Nauert to be the new United Nations ambassador.

Barr served as attorney general under the late President George H.W. Bush. Trump said he was “highly respected” and a “terrific man” who was “my first choice since day one.”

Barr, if confirmed, will replace ousted former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Nauert, a former FOX TV host, is a State Department spokesman. She will follow UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is stepping down.

Trump spoke briefly to the press pool on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One. Trump travels to Kansas City, Missouri, today.

Here is a transcript of what he said:

I want to confirm that Bill Barr — one of the most respected jurists in the country — highly respected lawyer, former Attorney General under the Bush administration — a terrific man, a terrific person, a brilliant man. I did not know him for — until recently, when I went through the process of looking at people. And he was my first choice from day one. Respected by Republicans and respected by Democrats. He will be nominated for the United States Attorney General.

And hopefully that process will go very quickly, and I think it will go very quickly. And I’ve seen very good things about him, even over the last day or so when people thought that it might be Bill Barr. So Bill Barr will be nominated for the United States Attorney General position. I think he will serve with great distinction.

I also want to inform you that Heather Nauert, somebody that we know very well, who has done a great job at the — as — working with Mike Pompeo and others over at the State Department — Heather Nauert will be nominated. She’s going to work with Nikki Haley to replace Nikki at the United Nations. She’ll be Ambassador to the United Nations. She’s very talented, very smart, very quick, and I think she’s going to be respected by all. So Heather Nauert will be nominated for the Ambassador to the United Nations.

Those are two very big ones. I have another one for tomorrow that I’m going to be announcing at the Army-Navy game. I can give you a little hint: It will have to do with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and succession. And I look forward to telling you, and I’ll see you later. I’ll see you in Kansas.

This is a developing story. Please check back.