Former President Barack Obama's United Nations Ambassador, Samantha Power, argued Tuesday on "The View" that former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is qualified enough to serve in the role but isn't likely to be popular.
"I have had very constructive dealing with her since she was named to my team -- they're not my team anymore," Power noted. "A group of civil servants are there who coached me through the early days and the early years. Fundamentally, I think she has run South Carolina well. She's very popular in her state. The people at the UN are very excited about her. They like some of what she said in the hearing."
While Haley drew some criticism from progressives who argued she had no foreign policy experience, it isn't her background that might cause her to be unpopular at the UN.
"They're anxious because they're worried that the trump administration will turn its back on the UN," Power revealed. "I've got to say, I was benefitted from the fact that Barack Obama was my president. You can be a very effective and even popular UN Ambassador if the policies of your government are ones that you can use to rally the world. So, fundamentally there's only so much an ambassador can do."
Power also agreed that she is concerned about Trump's ties to Russia that are unknown to Americans. However, she argued that the United States does not have the sour relationship with Russia that Trump has alleged.
"We got 60 resolutions a year through the UN Security Council," she said. "Set up peacekeeping missions, lots of ways to get along with Russia. When Russia supports a government that's using chemical weapons against their own people and they interfere in our election and change the outcome of our election all bets are off."
Watch the full exchange below:
