WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump said Friday he will nominate William "Bill" Barr to serve as attorney general, replacing Jeff Sessions, who resigned under pressure from Trump last month.
Trump also said he plans to nominate State Department spokeswoman and former Fox News anchor Heather Nauert as his next ambassador to the United Nations.
Barr, 68, served as attorney general from 1991 to 1993 under George H.W. Bush and emerged as a consensus choice among Trump's advisers because of his experience and likely chances of being confirmed.
Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn before departing for Kansas City, Trump said that Barr was always the pick. "He was my first choice since day one," Trump said. "He'll be nominated."
Nauert, 48, would replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would be leaving the U.N. ambassador's post at year's end.
Although she does not bring much foreign policy experience to the job, she is close to Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, and Trump values her ability to communicate on television.
"She's very talented, very smart, very quick, and I think she'll be respected by all," Trump said.
Trump walked away without answering questions about the status of his embattled chief of staff, John Kelly, but he teased that another personnel announcement was coming Saturday.
"I have another one for tomorrow that I'm going to be announcing at the Army-Navy game," Trump said. "I can give you a little hint: It will have to do with the joint chiefs of staff and succession."
