Dina Powell takes herself out of running for UN Ambassador

Her withdrawal leaves others such as Senator Corker and former Senator Lieberman in the running

Powell served as deputy national security adviser to Trump for most of his first year in the White House, departing in mid-January. AP

Dina Powell, the once front-runner to succeed outgoing US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, has reportedly taken her name out of the running and will not be seeking the position.

Reuters reported on Thursday that Ms Powell, who hails from an Egyptian background, has “told President Donald Trump by phone that she was honoured to be considered but planned to stay at Goldman Sachs” as an executive.

Ms Powell, who served as a deputy national security adviser in the White House until February, was purportedly first choice for the position and Mr Trump called her to discuss a potential nomination. Ms Powell was born in Cairo in 1973, speaks fluent Arabic and immigrated with her parents to Texas at the age of four. She is widely respected in the policy community and would have had a smooth confirmation process.

Other names being floated for the position are chairman of the foreign relations committee Senator Bob Corker, and according to CBS, former Senator Joe Lieberman.

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Mr Corker, like Ms Powell, is a centrist on foreign policy while Mr Lieberman shares national security adviser John Bolton’s hawkish views on Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Former Bush officials have also floated the name of former New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte.

Ms Haley will be leaving her position by the end of the year and Mr Trump is expected to name a potential successor in the next three weeks.