04.30.25

Senate Republicans Are Confirming President Trump’s Highly Qualified Ambassadors at the Fastest Pace in Decades

100 Days Into President Trump’s Second Term, Senate Republicans Are Confirming His Ambassador Nominees Faster Than Every Incoming Administration Since at Least Ronald Reagan’s

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THE SENATE HAS CONFIRMED 10 OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AMBASSADOR NOMINEES IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, A PACE FASTER THAN ANY INCOMING ADMINISTRATION IN DECADES

  • In the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term, the Senate confirmed 10 ambassador nominees, a total more than the incoming Biden, first Trump, Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton, and George H.W. Bush administrations. (Center for Presidential Transition: Joe Biden’s First Year in Office: Nominations and Confirmations – 1/9/22; United States Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 139, Part 5 – 3/31/93; United States Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 139, Part 6 – 4/2/93;United States Congress: Congressional Record Vol. 139, Part 1 – 1/26/93; United States Congress: PN226 — Terence A. Todman — Department of State – 4/19/89; United States Congress: PN221 — James Roderick Lilley — Department of State – 4/19/89; UnitedStates Congress: PN214 — Michael Hayden Armacost — Department of State – 4/19/89; United States Congress: PN209 — Vernon A. Walters — Department of State – 4/13/89; United States Congress: PN208 — Henry E. Catto — Department of State – 4/13/89; PN143: Roll Call Vote #19 – 3/7/89)
    • Matthew Whitaker was confirmed as ambassador to NATO. (PN25-56: Roll Call Vote #157 – 4/1/25)
    • Mike Huckabee was confirmed as ambassador to Israel. (PN25-20: Roll Call Vote #201 – 4/9/25)
    • Peter Hoekstra was confirmed as ambassador to Canada. (PN25-18: Roll Call Vote #202 – 4/9/25)
    • Ronald Johnson was confirmed as ambassador to Mexico. (PN25-22: Roll Call Vote #203 – 4/9/25)
    • Kevin Cabrera was confirmed as ambassador to Panama. (PN25-6: Roll Call Vote #204 – 4/9/25)
    • Warren Stephens was confirmed as ambassador to the United Kingdom. (PN24-5: Roll Call Vote #217 – 4/29/25)
    • Thomas Barrack was confirmed as ambassador to Türkiye. (PN26-3: Roll Call Vote #219 – 4/29/25)
    • Tilman Fertitta was confirmed as ambassador to Italy. (PN26-18: Roll Call Vote #221 – 4/29/25)
  • By contrast, through the first 100 days of their presidencies:

TO START THE WEEK, AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS, THE SENATE CONFIRMED DAVID PERDUE AS AMBASSADOR TO CHINA

  • The Senate confirmed David Perdue as ambassador to China, putting the administration in a better position to “navigate a U.S.-China relationship roiled by a trade conflict and rising concerns about Beijing’s increasingly aggressive military footprint in the Indo-Pacific.” (PN54-5: Roll Call Vote #215 – 4/29/25; Politico: Senate confirms David Perdue as Trump’s ambassador to China – 4/29/25)
  • At his confirmation hearing, Perdue pledged to “ensure focus on our priority to eliminate fentanyl precursors and hold China accountable on human rights.” (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Nomination Hearing – 4/3/25)
  • “This is certainly one of the most important nominations that will come across this floor. The President is to be commended for picking David Perdue for this position. China, as we all know, is the largest, most significant, and longest lasting foreign policy challenge that the United States of America has – and it will continue to be for some time.” – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
  • “David Perdue is the right man at the right time to represent the United States as Ambassador to China. He is clear-eyed about the geopolitical realities and challenges we face and possesses a deep understanding of the culture and customs of the Chinese people. Most importantly, he is a man of integrity who loves his country and will always put America first at home and abroad.” – Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.)
  • “Communist China is our country’s greatest external threat. The future of our relationship with China must be navigated with strength and vigilance. David Perdue understands that. He will be a strong Ambassador.” – Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.)

OTHER CRUCIAL SENATE-CONFIRMED AMBASSADORS WILL BE VITAL FOR ADVANCING AMERICAN INTERESTS OVERSEAS

  • Warren Stephens, confirmed to be ambassador to the United Kingdom, called the U.K. “a strong partner in tackling the toughest challenges throughout the world as the UK is a top contributor to NATO,” while advocating for even closer economic ties. (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee – Nominations Hearing – 4/1/25)
  • Thomas Barrack, confirmed to be ambassador to Türkiye, discussed the foreign policy challenges facing the Turkish-American relationship, saying he “will navigate these to ensure that through these challenges, our partnership endures as a pillar of transatlantic stability and mutual trust.” (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee – Nominations Hearing – 4/1/25)
  • Tilman Fertitta, confirmed to be ambassador to Italy, spoke about prioritizing Italy increasing its defense spending, calling it “a personal goal of mine to get them from the 1.5 percent, 1.6 percent to 2 percent by the time that I've served the government there for the United States.” (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee – Nominations Hearing – 4/1/25)

THE SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO MOVE AT RECORD PACE TO PROCESS THESE IMPORTANT NOMINATIONS

  • In the first 100 days of President Trump’s term, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has reported out ambassador nominees at its fastest rate at the start of a new administration in the last 24 years.

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(U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee: President Trump, Chairman Risch Pass Historic Number of Nominees – 4/29/25)