At the end of last month, President Trump started expressing his dissatisfaction—first in private and later openly—about the Senate’s slow progress in confirming his nominees for important ambassador roles across the globe.
Just weeks later, Senate Republicans have notably accelerated the process, approving close to a dozen predominantly wealthy supporters as ambassadors to significant nations, and they’ve managed to do this faster than other administrations in recent decades.
With 10 confirmations within Mr. Trump’s first 100 days, his pace has already surpassed that of his most recent predecessors and his initial term. This surge comes as the president and his team are working on a larger mission to reshape the State Department and U.S. diplomacy. Unlike some cabinet nominees, most of these picks have received unanimous Republican approval and some bipartisan support.
This was evident on Tuesday when the Senate voted 67 to 29 to confirm David Perdue, a former senator from Georgia and businessman, as the U.S. ambassador to China.
Mr. Perdue’s approval was anticipated. He has maintained strong connections with many former colleagues and faced few critical questions during his hearing earlier this month regarding his earlier remarks about tariffs and his comments on outsourcing American jobs during his business career.
During the hearing, Mr. Perdue committed to implementing the president’s agenda and, like other Trump appointees to major diplomatic roles, pledged to promote an “America First” policy while abroad.
“President Trump’s America First strategy does not equate to isolation; it’s quite the opposite,” Mr. Perdue explained in early April, arguing that emphasizing domestic manufacturing will strengthen ties between the world’s two largest economies. “By rebuilding our essential supply chains at home and with allies, America will be a more formidable partner.”
Furthermore, the White House has submitted many more ambassadorial nominations to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, paving the way for what the Trump administration envisions as a swift overhaul of U.S. diplomatic leadership overseas.
Most of those already confirmed or awaiting confirmation are affluent and politically connected individuals, like Thomas Barrack, a billionaire private equity mogul and long-time acquaintance of Mr. Trump, who was confirmed on Wednesday to be the ambassador to Turkey. The Senate also worked late Wednesday to confirm Tilman Fertitta, a Texas billionaire and owner of the Houston Rockets N.B.A. team, as the next U.S. ambassador to Italy.
The Senate’s unusually brisk actions, typically characterized by slow deliberation, have become a point of pride for Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota and the majority leader.
“We will continue to confirm the president’s ambassadors as swiftly as we can,” Mr. Thune stated from the Senate floor on Monday morning while announcing the votes for several overseas positions.
Senator Jim Risch, the Republican from Idaho who leads the foreign affairs committee, remarked that the Senate is moving “at a record pace” to approve Mr. Trump’s ambassadorial nominees.
The shift in momentum began after Mr. Trump expressed his discontent in late March over the slow confirmation process for his ambassadorial nominees. During a gathering at the White House with some unconfirmed nominees, he criticized the delays, urging Senate Republicans to prioritize his ambassadorial nominees over others.
“We’re being delayed as much as possible by Democrats,” Mr. Trump remarked during the meeting.
While Democrats lack the numbers to block any of Mr. Trump’s nominees, some members are attempting to impede the process by placing holds on nominations and insisting on individual votes for each position. This led Mr. Trump to accuse Senate Democrats of compromising national security.
“What should take mere minutes is drawn out for months,” Mr. Trump posted on social media late last month, adding that it was “disheartening to see highly qualified and respected ambassadors, whom we urgently need to represent our country abroad, left in limbo.”
Critics of Mr. Trump’s selections argue that many are not adequately qualified for their roles. Among the detractors is Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, who has spent much of the year rallying large crowds during his “Fight the Oligarchy” campaign. He pointed to appointments of wealthy donors and billionaires as symptomatic of systemic corruption.
“This illustrates the corruption within our campaign finance system: Billionaires don’t just purchase elections and presidencies—they also secure senior positions in the White House and critical ambassadorships around the globe,” he stated.
Senator Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, has been actively opposing State Department nominees and intends to find procedural methods to delay each nomination, yet Republicans are pushing ahead through the lengthy process regardless.
Moreover, other Democrats are not inclined to obstruct the process. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the leading Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, has diverged from her party more than any other member in approving Mr. Trump’s ambassadorial selections.
Of the 10 confirmed nominees, she has supported eight. On two occasions, she was the sole Democrat backing the nominee, although she was never the decisive vote. In an interview, she stated that supporting Mr. Trump’s nominees didn’t necessarily imply endorsing his attempts to alter American foreign policy.
“I don’t view the effort to appoint ambassadors as an initiative to reshape diplomacy,” Ms. Shaheen expressed before her vote for Mr. Perdue. “It is crucial for America to have ambassadors positioned where they can safeguard American interests globally,” she added, expressing disappointment that Senate Republicans had obstructed many appointments during the Biden administration.
When asked about the stance of her Democratic colleagues pushing to block nominations, she simply replied: “You’d have to ask them about their perspectives.”
Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware and a member of the foreign affairs committee who regularly interacts with ambassadors, said that he finds Mr. Trump’s selections for prominent diplomatic roles less concerning than other policy shifts he has implemented.
“The most significant effect on our global standing stems from the diminishment of U.S.A.I.D., severely limiting our foreign aid initiatives,” Mr. Coons remarked on Tuesday, just before voting to confirm Mr. Perdue. “While they may prioritize confirming a few ambassadors, it won’t alter the detrimental impact on our global reputation stemming from recent developments under his administration.”
