President-elect Donald Trump picked two women — one an Indian-American — for Cabinet-level appointments Wednesday, answering critics who complained about the preponderance of white men in the running for prominent roles in the administration.

Mr. Trump announced he would nominate South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and charter school advocate Betsy DeVos for secretary of education.

Both women were well received by the Senate panels that will conduct their confirmation hearings.

But Ms. DeVos immediately encountered resistance from liberal groups and teacher unions, which view school choice as a scheme to privatize public schools, signaling a potentially bruising confirmation process.

Mr. Trump described Ms. Haley, who was an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump during the presidential campaign, as a “proven deal-maker.” He lauded Ms. DeVos, a Republican megadonor and chairwoman of the American Federation for Children, as a “brilliant and passionate education advocate.”

The nominations were announced as Mr. Trump settled in for the Thanksgiving holiday with his family at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. Mr. Trump is not expected to conduct more interviews of Cabinet candidates during the long weekend, but aides said he will be working on transition plans.

(WT)