WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm U.S. President Donald Trump's pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's nomination easily cleared the Senate as she got wide bipartisan support for the post.

"I was reassured by Gov. Haley's unequivocal opposition to President Trump's alarming statements regarding Russian war crimes in Syria (and) her clear grasp of the importance of U.S. engagement in international institutions," Senator Robert Menendez said in a statement.

Born to Indian immigrants in South Carolina in 1972, Haley is the first woman and visible minority to serve as governor of South Carolina.

Haley supported Trump's rival Senator Marco Rubio of Florida during the Republican nomination race last year, and she was one of the most vocal critics of Trump early in his run.

Haley frequently called out Trump for his hard-line immigration policy, and also criticized Trump for refusing to release his tax returns.

"Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country," Trump said when he nominated Haley in November last year.

"She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals. She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage," Trump added.