Mordaunt said that “we all owe it to the country” to support Sunak after she was unable to secure the backing of 100 Conservative lawmakers needed to remain in the race, The Associated Press reported.
BBC News reported that Sunak was the frontrunner, gaining the 100 nominations he needed well before the deadline. He also had the support of backers from Truss and Boris Johnson.
Sunak campaigned earlier this summer before Truss won on the promise to help people combat the cost of living and eventually cut taxes, but only after the rising costs of products eased. He used that platform before Truss’ economic plan of cutting taxes and boosting the government’s borrowing hurt the economic outlook and plunged the U.K. into a recession, CNN reported.
Sunak is the first prime minister of Indian descent. His parents were originally from east Africa and both are of Indian origin, BBC News reported.
Sunak is the youngest in 200 years at age 42, the first person of color and the first Hindu person to be prime minister, CNN reported.
He was first elected as an MP in 2015 and became finance minister, also called chancellor in 2020 under Johnson.
King Charles III will ask Sunak to form a government and will take over the position late Monday or Tuesday from Truss, the AP reported.
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes a statement after taking office outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III Newly elected leader of the Conservative Party Rishi Sunak is greeted as he arrives at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III where he will be invited to become Prime Minister and form a new government on October 25, 2022, in London. (Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III Outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives at Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles III to formally resign as PM on October 25, 2022, in London. (Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III King Charles III arrives at Buckingham Palace to meet with British Prime Minister Liz Truss on her formal resignation on October 25, 2022, in London. (Isabel Infantes/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a statement prior to her formal resignation outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak becomes British PM after meeting with King Charles III British Prime Minister Liz Truss makes a statement prior to her formal resignation outside No. 10 Downing St. on October 25, 2022, in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he departs Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak arrives at Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak leaves the Conservative Party Headquarters after having been announced as the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister Rishi Sunak leaves CCHQ on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak (center) waves as he arrives at the Conservative Party Headquarters on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Photos: Rishi Sunak chosen to be new UK prime minister Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak arrives at CCHQ on October 24, 2022, in London. Sunak was appointed as Conservative leader and the UK's next Prime Minister after he was the only candidate to garner 100-plus votes from Conservative MPs in the contest for the top job. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)