Washington: US President Donald Trump has nominated a former Republican congressman to become the next American ambassador to Australia, 15 months into his presidency.
Trump named former Virginia representative and academic David Brat for the role on Monday (US time). As per protocol, the nominee must be confirmed by the US Senate before taking up the job.
There has been no US ambassador in Canberra since Caroline Kennedy departed in late 2024, although it is not unusual for presidents to take some time to appoint ambassadors to Australia.
A conservative Republican who was part of the Tea Party movement, Brat came to prominence in 2014 when he achieved what The New York Times called “one of the most stunning primary election upsets in congressional history”, defeating the Republican leader of the House of Representatives, Eric Cantor, in the Virginia district.
He campaigned largely on the grounds that Cantor was not conservative enough on the issue of immigration.
More to come
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Michael Koziol is the North America correspondent for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Sydney editor, Sun-Herald deputy editor and a federal political reporter in Canberra.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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