COLUMBIA, S.C. –South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley met with President-elect Donald Trump Thursday at Trump Tower in New York, reportedly to talk about the position of Secretary of State in his administration.
Haley Chief of Staff Rob Godfrey says, “Governor Haley was pleased to meet with President-elect Trump. They had a good discussion, and she is very encouraged about the coming administration and the new direction it will bring to Washington.”
The Trump administration is also reportedly considering South Carolina Lt. Gov. Henry McMaster for Attorney General or possibly another post. Lt. Gov. McMaster says he has not met with Mr. Trump yet. He would not say whether he would take a job in the administration if one is offered, but said he wants to do whatever he can to help Mr. Trump succeed. “I’m not particularly excited about going to Washington, or any other place. I like South Carolina, but I want to do all I can to help,” he said Thursday in Columbia.
McMaster was an early supporter of Donald Trump’s and was the first elected official in the nation to endorse him. He served as U.S. Attorney for South Carolina under President Reagan and was elected Attorney General for South Carolina in 2002 and 2006. He ran for governor in 2010 but lost to eventual nominee Nikki Haley.
He has expressed interest in running again for governor in 2018. If Gov. Haley were to take a job in the Trump administration, Lt. Gov. McMaster would become governor and Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman of Florence would become lieutenant governor. If both Gov. Haley and Lt. Gov. McMaster were to leave, Sen. Leatherman would become governor.
