Kelly Craft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelly Craft
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 30th United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office September 12, 2019 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Richard M. Mills Jr. |
| Preceded by | Nikki Haley |
| Succeeded by | Linda Thomas-Greenfield |
| United States Ambassador to Canada | |
| In office October 23, 2017 – August 23, 2019 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | Richard M. Mills Jr. |
| Preceded by | Bruce Heyman |
| Succeeded by | David L. Cohen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kelly Dawn Guilfoil
February 24, 1962 Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 daughters |
| Education | University of Kentucky (BA) |
Kelly Dawn Craft (born February 24, 1962) is an American businesswoman and former diplomat. She served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. Before that, she was the United States Ambassador to Canada from 2017 to 2019. She was the first woman to hold the ambassador role in Canada.
Craft also leads Kelly G. Knight LLC, a business advice company in Lexington, Kentucky. She ran for governor of Kentucky in 2023 but was not chosen by her party.
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Early Life and Education
Kelly Craft was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on February 24, 1962. She grew up in Glasgow, a small town in central Kentucky. Her father was a veterinarian and farmer, and her mother was a home economics teacher.
Craft played the clarinet in her high school band at Glasgow High School, graduating in 1980. She then attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington. She created her own special major focusing on international law and earned her bachelor's degree in 1984.
Business and Community Work
In 2004, Kelly Craft started her own business consulting company called Kelly G. Knight, LLC. This company helps other businesses with marketing, planning, and leadership advice. Its main office is in Lexington.
Craft has also been involved in many community groups. She served on the board of trustees for the University of Kentucky. She also helped lead groups like the Salvation Army, the United Way, and the YMCA of Central Kentucky.
Supporting Political Causes
Craft has been a strong supporter of political candidates, mostly from the Republican Party. She helped President George W. Bush's reelection campaign in 2004. She also helped raise money for other Republican leaders.
In 2016, Craft and her husband, Joe Craft, gave a lot of money to political campaigns. They supported Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Their support helped Trump gain trust from other politicians.
Giving Back to the Community
Beyond politics, Kelly and Joe Craft are known for their charity work. In 2015, they started the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Morehead State University in Kentucky. This program helps talented high school students. By 2019, they had given over $10 million to the academy. They have also donated a lot of money to the University of Kentucky.
Serving the United States
Kelly Craft has held important roles representing the United States on the world stage.
Alternate Delegate to the United Nations
In 2007, President George W. Bush appointed Craft as an alternate delegate to the United Nations. In this role, she advised the U.S. Ambassador to the UN on how the U.S. could work with countries in Africa. She also spoke to the UN General Assembly about efforts to fight diseases like HIV/AIDS in Africa and malaria in Africa.
Ambassador to Canada
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On June 15, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Kelly Craft to be the United States Ambassador to Canada. She was approved by the United States Senate and started her job on October 23, 2017. She was the first woman to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Canada.
As ambassador, Craft played a key role in trade talks between the U.S. and Canada. These talks led to a new trade agreement called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced an older agreement called NAFTA. This work made her more respected within the Trump administration.
During her time in Canada, there were some questions about how often she was away from her post in Ottawa. However, U.S. State Department officials explained that many of her trips were for important trade negotiations. They also noted that she paid for her own travel expenses, saving the U.S. government money. Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, thanked Craft for her efforts in building a strong relationship between the two countries.
Ambassador to the United Nations
On February 22, 2019, President Trump announced his plan to nominate Craft as the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. She was approved by the Senate and officially started her role on September 12, 2019.
In her new role, Craft focused on several important issues:
- Supporting Israel: She stated that the U.S. would not accept unfair treatment or hostility towards Israel at the UN.
- Climate Change: She changed her previous view and said that fossil fuels and human actions contribute to climate change.
- Venezuela: She criticized the UN Human Rights Council for allowing Venezuela to join, calling it "an embarrassment" due to Venezuela's human rights issues.
- Hamas: She called Hamas a "terrorist organization" that harms the Palestinian people and causes violence against Israel.
- North Korea: She warned North Korea against further missile tests and said the U.S. was ready for peaceful talks.
- Iran: She stated that the U.S. acted in self-defense when it killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She also pushed for the UN to restore sanctions against Iran.
- Abraham Accords: She helped in the diplomatic efforts that led to the announcement of diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel in 2020.
- Taiwan: In September 2020, Craft met with a top official from Taiwan. This was a very important meeting, as it was the first time a U.S. Ambassador to the UN had met with such a high-ranking Taiwanese official. They discussed how the U.S. could help Taiwan be more involved in the UN.
On January 20, 2021, her last day in office, China placed sanctions on Craft and other former Trump officials. China said this was because they had interfered in China's internal affairs.
Campaign for Governor of Kentucky
After leaving the Trump administration, Kelly Craft decided to run for governor of Kentucky. She announced her candidacy on September 7, 2022. She chose Kentucky state senator Max Wise as her running mate.
Her campaign focused on reducing crime rates in Kentucky. She also spoke about fighting the fentanyl crisis and stated that she would not allow "transgenders in our school system" if elected.
Craft raised a lot of money for her campaign, including $9.2 million of her own money. However, in the Republican primary election in May 2023, she placed third. The winner was Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.
Personal Life
Kelly Craft is married to Joe Craft. He is a successful coal-mining executive. They were married in April 2016. Kelly Craft has two daughters from previous marriages. Together, Kelly and Joe Craft have six children and, as of 2018, 11 grandchildren.
See also
In Spanish: Kelly Craft para niños
