Nikki Haley is stirring speculation that she could be returning to politics with her move back to South Carolina.
President Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations served as governor of the state before she moved to New York to serve in the Trump administration. She resigned from her role as a diplomat in late 2018 but remained in New York.
The 47-year-old and her husband, Michael, closed Friday on a home on Kiawah Island, a spokesman for a real estate company told the Associated Press. The island, which is known for its beach and golf resort, is located about 25 miles southwest of Charleston.
Haley’s spokeswoman said the family would be splitting time between South Carolina and New York until their 17-year-old son, Nalin, graduates from high school in the spring. Their 21-year-old daughter, Rena, attends Clemson University in their home state.
“South Carolina has always been home for the Haleys, and they couldn’t be more excited to return back to their family and friends in the Palmetto State,” spokeswoman Chaney Denton said.
The median price for a home on the island is just over $1 million, according to Zillow. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is leading his Democratic rivals for the 2020 nomination, frequently vacations on the island.
After leaving the Trump administration, Haley joined the Boeing Co. board, returned to a nonprofit she created to address education in rural parts of South Carolina, and launched a policy group. Her book, With All Due Respect: Defending America with Grit and Grace, is set to be published in November.
She reportedly makes as much as $200,000 for speaking appearances.
In the past few months, Haley has denied rumors that she could replace Vice President Mike Pence on the 2020 ticket and that she would challenge Trump in the upcoming presidential election.
