Trump to nominate William Barr for attorney general, Heather Nauert for U.N. ambassador

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Friday that he plans to nominate William Barr for attorney general, and confirmed that former Fox News anchor Heather Nauert is his pick to replace Nikki Haley as U.N. ambassador.

"He was my first choice from Day 1," Trump said of Barr, calling him a "highly respected lawyer" and "one of the most respected jurists in the country."

If confirmed by the Senate, it would be Barr's second stint as head of the Justice Department. He served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush.

"Hopefully that process will go very quickly," Trump said of Senate confirmation. "I think he will serve with great distinction."

Barr may face tough questions in the Senate. Multiple Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have already cited concerns about Barr, stemming from his previous statements on topics such as the Hillary Clinton email investigation and James Comey's firing as FBI director. 

Trump's choice of Nauert to replace Haley, which he also confirmed Friday at the White House, had been previously reported by NBC News.

"She's very talented, very smart, very quick, and I think she's going to be respected by all," Trump said of Nauert. 

The former “Fox & Friends” anchor has been spokeswoman for the State Department since April 2017. - Read More

Trump to nominate William Barr for attorney general, Heather Nauert ...