<p>Nikki Haley was barely known outside her native South Carolina before Donald Trump tapped her as ambassador to the United Nations back in 2017.</p>.<p>But Haley used the high-profile post to cultivate an image as a plain-speaking conservative, and a reputation for standing up to her boss -- whom she is now challenging for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.</p>.<p>Republicans with ambitions for the highest American office have been keeping their powder dry until now, wary of getting a bloody nose from the man who wrote the book on no-holds-barred political brawling.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/nikki-haley-a-trailblazer-who-proved-political-pundits-wrong-1191257.html" target="_blank">Nikki Haley, a trailblazer who proved political pundits wrong</a></strong><br /><br />Haley, 51, appears to be made of sterner stuff, releasing a campaign launch video Tuesday in which she did not mention the 76-year-old Trump by name but said it is "time for a new generation of leadership."</p>.<p>Her message was clear: she is readying for a bare-knuckled nomination fight, regardless of who she is up against.</p>.<p>As UN envoy, Haley -- who previously served for six years as South Carolina's governor -- was unafraid to speak her mind, often in fairly undiplomatic language.</p>.<p>She was the face of the White House to the world on everything from North Korean denuclearization to the war in Syria.</p>.<p>Speculation about Haley's political future had been building since she left Trump's cabinet in 2018, and she now starts an uphill battle to become her party's White House candidate.</p>.<p>The daughter of Indian immigrants, who was raised as a Sikh but identifies as Christian, Haley was the face of diversity in a cabinet criticized for being too white.</p>.<p>She was not exactly on the Trump train from the get-go -- she endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primary race in 2016 before backing Senator Ted Cruz.</p>.<p>Indeed, she called Manhattan property baron Trump "everything a governor doesn't want in a president," and just weeks before the election, admitted she was "not a fan" of the candidate.</p>.<p>So understandably, eyebrows were raised when Trump chose Haley -- who had little foreign policy experience -- as Washington's voice at the United Nations.</p>.<p>Born in 1972 in Bamberg, South Carolina, Nimrata "Nikki" Randhawa -- a mother of two -- rose quickly in the southern state's politics, serving in its House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011, when she was elected governor.</p>.<p>Her conservative views and outspoken but collegial style were popular in her home state.</p>.<p>She got headlines in 2015 by supporting the removal of the Confederate flag from the state house after a white gunman opened fire at a black church, killing nine parishioners.</p>.<p>She was also a fierce defender of Israel, and a ferocious critic of Russia.</p>.<p>Since leaving government, Haley's praise of the Trump presidency has been offset by her criticism of his personal conduct, including his involvement in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.</p>.<p>"We need to acknowledge he let us down," she said, referring to Trump's actions leading up to the insurrection.</p>
<p>Nikki Haley was barely known outside her native South Carolina before Donald Trump tapped her as ambassador to the United Nations back in 2017.</p>.<p>But Haley used the high-profile post to cultivate an image as a plain-speaking conservative, and a reputation for standing up to her boss -- whom she is now challenging for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.</p>.<p>Republicans with ambitions for the highest American office have been keeping their powder dry until now, wary of getting a bloody nose from the man who wrote the book on no-holds-barred political brawling.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/nikki-haley-a-trailblazer-who-proved-political-pundits-wrong-1191257.html" target="_blank">Nikki Haley, a trailblazer who proved political pundits wrong</a></strong><br /><br />Haley, 51, appears to be made of sterner stuff, releasing a campaign launch video Tuesday in which she did not mention the 76-year-old Trump by name but said it is "time for a new generation of leadership."</p>.<p>Her message was clear: she is readying for a bare-knuckled nomination fight, regardless of who she is up against.</p>.<p>As UN envoy, Haley -- who previously served for six years as South Carolina's governor -- was unafraid to speak her mind, often in fairly undiplomatic language.</p>.<p>She was the face of the White House to the world on everything from North Korean denuclearization to the war in Syria.</p>.<p>Speculation about Haley's political future had been building since she left Trump's cabinet in 2018, and she now starts an uphill battle to become her party's White House candidate.</p>.<p>The daughter of Indian immigrants, who was raised as a Sikh but identifies as Christian, Haley was the face of diversity in a cabinet criticized for being too white.</p>.<p>She was not exactly on the Trump train from the get-go -- she endorsed Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the Republican primary race in 2016 before backing Senator Ted Cruz.</p>.<p>Indeed, she called Manhattan property baron Trump "everything a governor doesn't want in a president," and just weeks before the election, admitted she was "not a fan" of the candidate.</p>.<p>So understandably, eyebrows were raised when Trump chose Haley -- who had little foreign policy experience -- as Washington's voice at the United Nations.</p>.<p>Born in 1972 in Bamberg, South Carolina, Nimrata "Nikki" Randhawa -- a mother of two -- rose quickly in the southern state's politics, serving in its House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011, when she was elected governor.</p>.<p>Her conservative views and outspoken but collegial style were popular in her home state.</p>.<p>She got headlines in 2015 by supporting the removal of the Confederate flag from the state house after a white gunman opened fire at a black church, killing nine parishioners.</p>.<p>She was also a fierce defender of Israel, and a ferocious critic of Russia.</p>.<p>Since leaving government, Haley's praise of the Trump presidency has been offset by her criticism of his personal conduct, including his involvement in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.</p>.<p>"We need to acknowledge he let us down," she said, referring to Trump's actions leading up to the insurrection.</p>