1 hour ago
10
A blimpish erstwhile Republican congressman could σύντομα beryllium the adjacent US ambassador to Australia aft Donald Trump ended agelong speculation astir the role.
The US president nominated ex-Virginia typical David Brat for the position, which had been vacant since 2024.
Mr Brat represented Virginia’s seventh legislature territory successful the US House of Representatives for the Republicans.
He made headlines aft defeating incumbent US House bulk person Eric Cantor, 1 of the highest ranking politicians successful the country, successful a superior predetermination to beryllium the Republican campaigner for the spot successful 2014.
A subordinate of the Tea Party movement, helium won predetermination for the House of Representatives aboriginal that year and ended up serving two terms.
He aboriginal mislaid his spot astatine the 2018 elections to Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who present serves arsenic Virginia’s governor.
After leaving congress, helium was named dean of Liberty University’s schoolhouse of concern successful Virginia.
A self-described “free trader”, Mr Brat has much precocious defended the president’s punitive tariff regime, arguing the import taxes were needed to antagonistic different countries’ unfair trade practices.
The ambassador presumption is yet to beryllium finalised arsenic the assignment needs to beryllium ratified by the US Senate.
If successful successful his selection, Mr Brat will succeed Caroline Kennedy successful the relation of ambassador to Australia.
Ms Kennedy, the lone surviving kid of erstwhile Democratic president John F. Kennedy, was appointed under the Biden administration.
Mr Trump had not appointed an ambassador to Australia passim the archetypal year of his presidency, a akin situation to his archetypal term, where it took him astir three years to name someone.
Source: AAP
Greek (GR) · 
English (US) ·