U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert withdrew herself from consideration for the nomination of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (UN), the department said in a statement on Saturday.

President Donald Trump will make an announcement on the issue "soon," the statement said.

Nauert explained in the statement that her decision to withdraw was due to family reasons, saying "the past two months have been grueling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from consideration."

Nauert, a 48-year-old former FOX News presenter, joined the State Department as spokesperson in April 2017.

Trump nominated Nauert as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations last December to replace Nikki Haley, who left her post at the end of 2018.

However, picking Nauert to represent the United States in the international arena is seen as an unusual choice for Trump.

Many Democrats and experts questioned her qualifications, given the former news presenter had limited political or foreign policy experience before joining the State Department.

Xinhua